Origin
by Tina-chan V
Summary: Once her heat strikes, Briarsong finds herself lying beneath a ThunderClan warrior, thus breaking the long-held code. But she never imagined that by making that one choice, she'd be setting up the future for all four Clans. (Side-story to "Blurred")
1. Allegiances

**Greetings, loved ones! This is a side-story to** _ **"Blurred"**_ **, one of my favorite works. I hope that you can all enjoy this story.**

 **This story takes place before the creation of HeartClan and LoveClan, so we will be using the original clans. Keep in mind that this is an** **M-rated** **story, so be prepared for possible sex, violence, etc. This story also uses nekos, which are like humans with cat ears and tail.**

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 **WINDCLAN:**

 **Leader:** Eaglestar – 6'0". Pale-skinned man w/ short, blonde hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 35 yrso. Brown ears and tail.

 **Deputy:** Sootleaf – 5'6". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, gray hair and blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. B-cup. 37 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

 **Medicine Holder:** Sageblossom – Pale-skinned woman w/ long, blonde hair with black bangs and blue eyes. Lanky and small-shouldered. DD-cup. 19 yrso. Golden, white, and black ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Lightfern

 **Warriors:**

Crowtail – 6'2". Fair-skinned man w/ short, black hair and amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 48 yrso. White ears and white tail with a black underside. **Apprentice,** Flightpaw

Poppyheart – 5'1". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, red hair and blue eyes. Curvy and small-shouldered. D-cup. 46 yrso. Ginger tabby ears and tail.

Silvermoon – 5'6". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, silvery-white hair and indigo eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. D-cup. 45 yrso. Blue-silver ears and tail.

Cloudbreeze – 5'10". Pale-skinned man w/ long, white hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 39 yrso. White ears and tail.

Hawktalon – 6'2". Creamy-skinned man w/ semi-long, dark-brown hair, a scar across his chest, and blue eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 36 yrso. Dark-brown tabby ears and tail.

Smallrabbit – 5'7". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, white hair (in ponytail) and dark-green eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 27 yrso. Pale-gray ears and tail.

Hollyberry – 5'11". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, black hair (in ponytail) and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 27 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Brightfire – 6'0". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, blonde hair and sea-green eyes. Lanky and broad-shouldered. B-cup. 26 yrso. Ginger-and-white ears and tail.

Lionclaw – 6'3". Creamy-skinned man w/ short, black hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 25 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Addertail – 6'5". Creamy-skinned man w/ semi-long, red hair and green eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 24 yrso. Reddish-brown ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Harepaw

Rosepelt – 5'8". Fair-skinned woman w/ wavy, light-brown hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cups. 23 yrso. Brown ears and tail.

Softpetal – 5'2". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, pale-blonde hair and violet eyes. Petite and small-shouldered. C-cup. 21 yrso. Pale ginger ears and tail.

Lighteyes – 5'9". Creamy-skinned man w/ short, dark-brown hair and light-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 21 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Mistpaw

Raventail – 6'6". Fair-skinned man w/ short, raven-black hair and black eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 21 yrso. White ears and black tail.

Swansong – 5'6". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, black hair and red eyes. Lanky and small-shouldered. C-cup. 20 yrso. Fluffy, white ears and tail.

Redfur – 5'10". Fair-skinned man w/ long, black hair and dark-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 20 yrso. Black ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Badgerpaw

Coalfoot – 5'10". Tan-skinned man w/ short, black hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 18 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Smokeclaw – 5'11". Creamy-skinned man w/ semi-long, gray hair and amber eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 18 yrso. Gray tabby ears and tail.

Swiftfall – 5'5". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, silky black hair and vibrant, dark-brown eyes with gold flecks. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 17 yrso. Black ears and a black, silver-tipped, tail.

Amberlight – 5'2". Fair-skinned woman w/ short, pine-brown hair and coppery-amber eyes. Lanky and small-shouldered. A-cup. 16 yrso. Pine-brown ears and tail.

Firesoul – 5'9". Pale-skinned man w/ short, auburn hair and light-hazel eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 16 yrso. Reddish-brown ears and tail.

Pantherfang – 5'5". Creamy-skinned man w/ short, black hair and amber eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 16 yrso. Black-and-white ears and tail.

 **Apprentices:**

Lightfern – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ short, messy, light-auburn hair and light-hazel eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 16 yrso. Light reddish-brown ears and tail.

Harepaw – 5'0". Pale-skinned boy w/ short, blonde hair and blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. 15 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail.

Badgerpaw – 5'6". Fair-skinned girl w/ long, curly, black hair (in a braid) and violet eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 14 yrso. Light and dark gray ears and tail.

Mistpaw – 4'10". Creamy-skinned girl w/ semi-long, slivery-black hair and bright, bluish-violet eyes. Soft-muscled and small-shouldered. 13 yrso. Black ears and silver tail.

Flightpaw – 4'11". Fair-skinned boy w/ short, black hair and amber eyes. Soft-muscled and small-shouldered. 13 yrso. White ears and tail.

 **Queens:**

Deerleap – 5'4". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, light-brown hair and golden-brown eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. C-cup. 32 yrso. Brown ears and tail. Mother of Hawktalon's kit; Fawnkit. Adoptive mother of Alderkit

Windstreak – 5'6". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, brown hair (in ponytail) and pale-blue eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. D-cup. 25 yrso. White ears and tail. Mother of Cloudbreeze's kits; Dustkit, Cloverkit, and Birchkit

Flowerdusk – 5'3". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, auburn hair and teal eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. C-cup. 18 yrso. Brindle ears and tail. Mother of Raventail's kits; Rowankit, Stormkit, and Fallowkit

 **Kits:**

Fawnkit – 3'4". Fair-skinned girl w/ long, dark-brown hair and blue eyes. Soft-muscled and small-shouldered. 6 yrso. Brown tabby ears and tail.

Alderkit – 34". Tan-skinned girl w/ black hair (curls slightly) and dark-brown eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 4 months old. Dark-brown ears and tail.

Dustkit – 29". Creamy-skinned boy w/ brown hair and bright-blue eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 4 months old. Gray ears and tail.

Cloverkit – 27". Pale-skinned girl w/ white hair and icy-blue eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 4 months old. White ears and tail.

Birchkit – 28". Creamy-skinned boy w/ light-brown, almost red hair and pale-blue eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 4 months old. White-and-cream ears and tail.

Rowankit – 19". Creamy-skinned boy w/ red hair and greenish-amber eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 month old. Black ears and tail.

Stormkit – 18". Creamy-skinned boy w/ blonde hair and green eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 month old. White-and-golden tabby ears and tail.

Fallowkit – 19". Fair-skinned girl w/ red hair and brown eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 month old. Dark-brown ears and tail.

 **Elders:**

Dawnfur – 5'3". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, graying, brown hair and blue eyes. Lanky and small-shouldered. B-cup. 68 yrso. Brown tabby ears and tail.

Larkfeather – 5'4". Creamy-skinned woman w/ short, gray hair and amber eyes. Petite and small-shouldered. C-cup. 67 yrso. Diluted tortoiseshell ears and tail.

Reedspeck – 5'6". Pale-skinned man w/ long, white hair and green eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. 66 yrso. White ears and tail with golden flecks.

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 **THUNDERCLAN:**

 **Leader:** Oakstar – 6'5". Pale-skinned man w/ short, brown hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 46 yrso. Brown tabby ears and tail.

 **Deputy:** Duskleap – 5'8". Tan-skinned man w/ short, black hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 39 yrso. Black ears and tail.

 **Medicine Holder:** Cedarnose – 5'11". Creamy-skinned man w/ semi-long, dark-brown hair and amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 29 yrso. Cream ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Applepaw

 **Warriors:**

Berryspring – 5'5". Creamy-skinned woman w/ semi-long, blonde hair and blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. A-cup. 41 yrso. Golden tabby ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Crowpaw

Hawkspeck – 6'1". Tan-skinned man w/ short, brown hair and amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 39 yrso. Dark brown tabby ears and tail.

Owlflight – 5'9". Creamy-skinned man w/ semi-long, gray hair and green eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. 30 yrso. Gray tabby ears and tail.

Thunderstrike – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ short, brown hair and silvery-gray eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 29 yrso. Black, gray-streaked, ears and tail.

Darkbreeze – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ short, dark-brown hair and dark-blue eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 29 yrso. Black ears and a feather-soft, black tail.

Bloodsky – Pale-skinned man w/ short, black hair and piercing, red eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 29 yrso. Black ears and a feathery, black tail.

Mouseshade – 5'7". Pale-skinned woman w/ semi-long, dusky-brown hair and amber eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. D-cup. 29 yrso. Brown ears and tail.

Leopardtail – 5'1". Creamy-skinned man w/ short, blonde hair and amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 29 yrso. Golden, black-spotted, ears and tail.

Wolfsong – 5'10". Pale-skinned man w/ short, black hair and dark-blue eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 28 yrso. Dark-gray ears and tail.

Blackmoon – 6'0". Pale-skinned man w/ short, black hair and violet eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 28 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Scarletfeather – 5'7". Tan-skinned woman w/ semi-long, black hair (with a feather in it) and red eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cup. 27 yrso. Red ears and tail.

Dovetail – 5'5". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, white hair and amber eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. D-cup. 25 yrso. White ears and tail.

Snakestrike – 6'11". Tan-skinned man w/ curly, dark-brown hair and bright-green eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 25 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Copperwind – 6'2". Tan-skinned man w/ short, golden-brown hair and amber eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 23 yrso. Golden tabby ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Dawnpaw

Ravenstrike – 6'3". Tan-skinned man w/ short, very dark brown hair and dark-amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 23 yrso. Jet-black, mottled ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Hazelpaw

Fernpelt – 5'2". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cup. 21 yrso. Cream ears and tail.

Bumbleheart – 5'4". Fair-skinned woman w/ semi-long, blonde hair and hazel eyes. Curvy and small-shouldered. C-cup. 21 yrso. Pale-ginger ears and tail.

Silvershimmer – 5'7". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, wavy silver hair and piercing, violet eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. B-cup. 21 yrso. White, black-tipped, ears and tail.

Darkwater – 6'1". Fair-skinned man w/ short, black hair and dark-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 21 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Moonspot – 4'11". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, gray hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 18 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

Snowflower – 4'11". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, silvery-white hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 18 yrso. White ears and tail.

Glowheart – 4'11". Creamy-skinned woman w/ semi-long, white hair and bright-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. D-cup. 18 yrso. White ears and tail.

Foxtail – 5'0". Creamy-skinned man w/ short, red hair and amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 17 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Violetclaw – 5'7". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, black hair and indigo eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 17 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Rabbitfoot – 5'0". Fair-skinned man w/ semi-long, blonde hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 16 yrso. Pure-white ears and tail.

Shortfoot – 5'0". Pale-skinned girl w/ long, auburn hair and gray eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. A-cup. 16 yrso. Reddish-brown ears and tail.

 **Apprentices:**

Crowpaw – 5'6". Tan-skinned boy w/ short, black hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 13 yrso. Black ears and white-tipped tail.

Applepaw – 4'11". Creamy-skinned boy w/ semi-long, white hair and green eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. 11 yrso. White ears and tail.

Dawnpaw – 4'9". Creamy-skinned girl w/ long, light-gray hair and hazel eyes. Petite and small-shouldered. 11 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

Hazelpaw – 4'1". Tan-skinned girl w/ long, light-ginger hair and hazel eyes. Lanky and small-shouldered. 10 yrso. Ginger ears and tail.

 **Queens:**

Bloodheart – 4'11". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, white hair (with blood-like streaks) and bright-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. D-cup. 28 yrso. White ears and tail. Mother of Leopardtail's kit; Wolfkit

Fennelfur – 5'2". Tan-skinned woman w/ long, white hair and blue eyes. Petite and small-shouldered. C-cup. 19 yrso. White ears and tail. Former barn-cat. Mother of Jaykit, Ivykit, Sandkit, Barkkit, Cherrykit, and Rosekit. Adoptive mother of Hazelpaw and Ebonykit.

Briarsong – 5'5". Creamy-skinned woman w/ long, brown hair, freckles, and pale-green eyes. Curvy and small-shouldered. B-cup. 18 yrso. Brown-and-white ears and tail. Former WindClanner. Expecting Ravenstrike's kits (8 months along)

 **Kits:**

Ebonykit – 4'6". Pale-skinned girl w/ long, blonde hair and black eyes. Soft-muscled and small-shouldered. 8 yrso. Gray-and-white ears and tail.

Wolfkit – 3'2". Fair-skinned boy w/ fluffy, gray hair and amber eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 6 yrso. Gray tabby ears and tail.

Jaykit – 3'0". Creamy-skinned boy w/ dark-gray hair and amber eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 3 yrso. Gray tabby ears and tail.

Ivykit – 3'0". Creamy-skinned girl w/ brown hair and blue eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 3 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Sandkit – 3'1". Tan-skinned boy w/ red hair and green eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 3 yrso. Tawny ears and tail.

Cherrykit – 17". Tan-skinned girl w/ brown hair and amber eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 moon old. Pinkish-ginger ears and tail.

Barkkit – 18". Tan-skinned boy w/ golden-brown hair and copper eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 moon old. Brown tabby ears and tail.

Rosekit – 17". Tan-skinned girl w/ white hair and amber eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 1 moon old. Pale-gray ears and tail.

 **Elders:**

Adderstorm – 5'10". Fair-skinned man w/ short, brown hair and light-green eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 56 yrso. Brindle ears and tail.

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 **SHADOWCLAN:**

 **Leader:** Goldenstar – 5'5". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, blonde hair and green eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. C-cup. 29 yrso. Golden ears and tail.

 **Deputy:** Lilyfall – 5'5". Fair-skinned woman w/ short, blonde hair and red eyes. Curvy and small-shouldered. C-cup. 34 yrso. Ginger ears and tail, one ear is torn in half. **Apprentice,** Sunpaw

 **Medicine Holder:** Pinestripe – 5'9". Pale-skinned man w/ red hair and light-teal eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 29 yrso. Light-brown ears and a darker tail. **Apprentice,** Brightpaw

 **Warriors:**

Stripedfang – 5'7". Pale-skinned man w/ short, black hair and red eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 34 yrso. Black, white-striped, ears and tail.

Spottedclaw – 5'8". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, dark-brown hair and light-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 32 yrso. Dark-brown ears and tail with pale-golden spots.

Yellowspots – 5'6". Pale-skinned woman w/ semi-long, dark-blonde hair and pale-green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. D-cup. Dark-golden ears and tail with lighter spots.

Hawkwing – 6'3". Pale-skinned man w/ semi-long, dirty-blonde hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 31 yrso. Dark-brown ears and tail.

 **Apprentice,** Sootpaw

Mossfoot – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ short, light-brown hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 21 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail.

Softcall – 5'9". Fair-skinned man w/ long, black hair and hazel eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. 20 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Grassclaw – 6'0". Fair-skinned man w/ semi-long, light-brown hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 20 yrso. Dark-brown ears and tail.

Tigerflower – 5'7". Creamy-skinned woman w/ short, ginger hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. D-cup. 19 yrso. Copper-brown ears and tail.

Darkstorm – 4'9". Pale-skinned man w/ dark-brown hair and midnight-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 18 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Featherclaw – 5'10". Fair-skinned man w/ dark-brown hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 18 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail with black tips. **Apprentice,** Nightpaw

Browntail – 5'8". Fair-skinned man w/ spiky, blonde hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 17 yrso. Gray ears and tail with darker stripes.

Whiteblaze – 5'8". Pale-skinned woman w/ short, white hair and white-blue eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 17 yrso. Black ears and tail.

Paleflash – 5'7". Pale-skinned woman w/ short, gray hair and pale-blue eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 17 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

Tallfur – 6'1". Fair-skinned man w/ raven-black hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 16 yrso. Jet-black ears and tail.

Wolfheart – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ blonde hair and brown eyes. Well-muscled and small-shouldered. 16 yrso. Golden ears and tail with black tips.

 **Apprentices:**

Sunpaw – 5'9". Tan-skinned boy w/ short, blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 15 yrso. Tan ears and tail.

Nightpaw – 5'4". Tan-skinned girl w/ long, curly, dark-brown hair and golden-amber eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. B-cup. 14 yrso. Black-and-ginger ears and tail.

Sootpaw – 4'10". Pale-skinned boy w/ semi-long, gray hair and blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. 11 yrso. Dark-gray ears and tail.

Brightpaw – 4'0". Fair-skinned girl w/ semi-long, pale-blonde hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 10 yrso. Cream ears and tail.

 **Queens:**

Brambledusk – 5'7". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, auburn hair and amber eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. D-cup. 23 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail. Mother of Dawnkit and adoptive mother of Brightkit.

Dewflower – 5'6". Pale-skinned woman w/ short, black hair and blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. C-cup. 23 yrso. Gray ears and tail. (4 months along)

 **Kits:**

Dawnkit – 3'7". Cream-skinned girl w/ long, dark-ginger hair and grayish-blue eyes. Soft-muscled and small-shouldered. 7 yrso. Yellow ears and tail.

 **Elders:**

Wetfoot – 5'11". Pale-skinned man w/ semi-long, gray hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 50 yrso. Dark-gray tabby ears and tail.

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 **RIVERCLAN:**

 **Leader:** Ripplestar – 5'8". Tan-skinned woman w/ light-brown hair and green eyes. Curvy and small-shouldered. B-cup. 35 yrso. Light-brown ears and tail.

 **Deputy:** Silverheart – 6'3". Tan-skinned man w/ silvery-blonde hair and gray eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 38 yrso. Silver ears and tail.

 **Medicine Holder:** Stormpelt – 5'9". Tan-skinned man w/ light-blonde hair (with darker tips) and black eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 31 yrso. Brown ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Dawnpetal

 **Warriors:**

Willowberry – 5'5". Tan-skinned woman w/ short, light-silver hair (streaked with brown) and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 49 yrso. Light gray ears and tail.

Splashtail – 5'9". Tan-skinned man w/ dark, blue-gray hair and dark-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 47 yrso. Light, blue-gray ears and tail.

Rainstorm – 6'4". Fair-skinned man w/ long, black hair and brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 39 yrso. Mottled, black-and-golden ears and tail.

Hailfire – 6'5". Fair-skinned man w/ dark-ginger hair and blue eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 32 yrso. Ginger ears and tail.

Fallowsky – 6'5". Tan-skinned man w/ brown hair and dark-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 27 yrso. Brown ears and tail.

Eelwhisker – 5'11". Tan-skinned man w/ short, light-brown hair and dark-brown streaks. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 23 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

Morningsong – 5'7". Tan-skinned woman w/ long, dirty-blonde hair and dark-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cup. 23 yrso. Golden tabby ears and tail.

Tigerfang – 6'0". Tan-skinned man w/ very dark-brown (almost black) hair and hazel-green eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 23 yrso. Brown tabby ears and tail.

Scarredface – 6'1". Pale-skinned man w/ messy, dark-brown hair, a scar down the side of his face, and golden-amber eyes. Well-muscled and broad-shouldered. 20 yrso. Brown tabby ears and tail.

Shellclaw – 5'10". Tan-skinned man w/ short, gray hair and hazel eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. 20 yrso. Gray tabby ears and tail. **Apprentice,** Leopardpaw

Firefang – 5'2". Fair-skinned woman w/ long, messy red hair (in ponytail) and red eyes. Lean-muscled and broad-shouldered. B-cup. 19 yrso. Dark-red ears and tail.

Ashwhisker – 5'9". Fair-skinned man w/ short, gray hair and dark-gray eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 17 yrso. Dark-gray ears and tail. Crippled left leg.

Waspsong – 5'8". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, blonde hair and amber eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. A-cup. 18 yrso. Golden ears and tail.

Hollowheart – 5'5". Pale-skinned woman w/ semi-long, silvery-gray hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cup. Gray tabby ears and tail.

Whiteflower – 5'6". Pale-skinned woman w/ long, white hair (in ponytail) and pale-blue eyes. Slim and small-shouldered. C-cup. 16 yrso. White ears and tail.

Nutfall – 5'6". Tan-skinned boy w/ short, nut-brown hair and dark-brown eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 16 yrso. Nut-brown ears and tail.

Wishberry – 5'4". Tan-skinned girl w/ long, light-silver hair and light-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. A-cup. 16 yrso. Dark, blue-gray tabby ears and tail.

 **Apprentices:**

Dawnpetal – 5'5". Tan-skinned woman w/ long, soft, black hair and gray-blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 23 yrso. Tortoiseshell ears and tail.

Leopardpaw – 5'3". Tan-skinned girl w/ semi-long, sandy-blonde hair and golden-amber eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. Golden ears and tail with black spots.

 **Queens:**

Silverlight – 5'6". Tan-skinned woman w/ short, light-gray hair and blue eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. C-cup. 31 yrso. Silver ears and tail. Mother of Hailfire's kits; Palekit, Honeykit, and Icekit. Adoptive mother of Duskkit

Waterleaf – 5'3". Pale-skinned woman w/ dark-brown hair (in a ponytail) and light-green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. B-cup. 23 yrso. Light-golden ears and tail. (3 months along)

 **Kits:**

Duskkit – 3'9". Fair-skinned boy w/ short, dark-gray hair and black eyes. Soft-muscled and broad-shouldered. 7 yrso. Dark-gray ears and tail.

Honeykit – 2'9". Pale-skinned girl w/ dark-brown hair and green eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 2 yrso. Brown-and-white ears and tail.

Icekit – 2'9". Pale-skinned boy w/ white hair and pale-blue eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 2 yrso. White ears and tail with blue-gray patches.

Palekit – 2'11". Fair-skinned boy w/ pale-brown hair and pale-red eyes. Soft-muscled and average. 2 yrso. Tan ear and tail (born with only one ear).

 **Elders:**

Troutfang – 5'6". Tan-skinned man w/ many scars, silvery-white hair, and dark-brown eyes. Heavy-set and small-shouldered. 98 yrso. Light, silvery-gray ears and tail. Oldest person in the Clans.

Crowsplash – 5'7". Tan-skinned man w/ graying, black hair and pale green eyes (blind in right eye). Thin and small-shouldered. 72 yrso. Gray ears and tail.

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 **OUTSIDERS:**

Solo – 6'0". Tan-skinned man w/ long, dark-brown hair and green eyes. Lean-muscled and small-shouldered. 43 yrso. Dark-brown ears and tail. Barn-cat.

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 **CLAN DISTINCTIONS:**

 **RIVERCLAN:** Most members of RiverClan have tanned skin and long, glossy hair and fur. Their bodies are built for swimming, being lean and durable.

 **THUNDERCLAN:** Members of this clan have broader shoulders than that of the others. They have thicker thighs, too, being more muscular. ThunderClanners are taller than the other clans.

 **SHADOWCLAN:** Their skin is usually paler than that of other clans, due to their territory having a lot more shade than the others. Their palms (both on hands and feet) are also softer, since their ground is moister.

 **WINDCLAN:** They have sleeker bodies and often have lighter hair and fur than the other clans. Their legs are also longer, and they're not as strong as the others.


	2. Prologue: Our Tempers Flare

Green-leaf was a pleasant time; warm, cozy nights, plentiful food, and no remaining evidence of the cold, desperate months that had come before. Briarpaw had always favored the season, and was happy that her birthday was within this time. Her brothers didn't seem to have the same views, not loving green-leaf any more than the next neko, but Briarpaw figured that boys couldn't grasp the full beauty of the warm season as well as girls.

She was alone, strolling around WindClan's open territory. Permission wasn't really necessary, since she had already done her share of hunting and caring for Dawnfur, as the aging woman had achy joints. Lionclaw surely wouldn't mind, though she knew that she'd still get a scolding when she returned.

Grinning, she decided that that wouldn't be too bad and kept walking. She was nearing ThunderClan territory now. It was like a shadow falling over WindClan. That dense forest with a scent so different from the territory she knew so well. She could see into the land, which was only thanks to dapples of sunlight that breeched through the leaves of the trees. Briarpaw shuddered, wondering how anyone could live in the shadows of the forest. When she was still a kit, Briarpaw could remember Silvermoon saying that the forest-dwelling clans were cowardly, needing trees to escape from enemies and hiding from StarClan's watchful eyes.

Briarpaw froze upon spotting a duck in the stream that bordered WindClan and ThunderClan. It was oblivious to the fact that it was being watched, preening its brown feathers contentedly. Briarpaw brightened, realizing that this was a great chance to get an excuse for being out of camp. Sure, she'd done enough hunting for the day, but a little more wouldn't be questioned, right?

Quietly, she remembered everything that Lionclaw had taught her about hunting in the five years that he's been her mentor. She lowered her tail, careful to keep it from brushing against the grass too much. The wind was blowing towards her, which didn't really matter, since ducks didn't have a good sense of smell. Briarpaw lowered her body, grateful for the grass that had grown long and tall, allowing her to blend in perfectly. Going over a check list in her head, she began to move forward.

By the time that she was close enough, the duck shook itself and started to move towards the forest at a leisurely pace. Briarpaw held her breath. She'd have to make her move before the duck got onto ThunderClan land and became their prey. Waiting until the duck had turned away completely, Briarpaw leaped from the grass and into the stream, urging her body forward in order to land on the bird before it could fly off.

She landed on nothing but water.

Had it flown away faster than she'd anticipated? The sound of panicked quacking told her different and Briarpaw sat up in the stream just in time to see the duck's throat being slit. She stared up at the ThunderClan warrior that held what should have been her kill.

"Hey! That was mine!" Briarpaw growled.

Glancing down at her, the man didn't seem very concerned, "I got to it first. It was in the stream, so it was fair game."

"I was stalking it!" Briarpaw shouted, standing up in the stream. The man was obviously older than her, and much taller. She wasn't intimidated in spite of this, however, and held her ground as the man glared at her.

"I caught it," he countered. His tone was cool, but Briarpaw could see his grip on the duck's neck tighten as his patience was being tested. This made her courage waver a bit, much to her irritation. Her subtle fear was warranted, as he was a large male with more experience than her.

Briarpaw mentally slapped herself before moving closer to him, climbing the steep bank until she was eye-level with his chest, careful not to step out of the stream completely and end up on ThunderClan turf. She looked up at him bravely, "That was mine and you know it. I'll let it go for now, but it won't be the same if this happens again."

At this, the ThunderClan warrior's eyes shined with amusement, "You're letting me go? That's some big talk for an apprentice."

Briarpaw's temper flared, "I'm nearly a warrior!"

"You're awfully small," the man commented, "But I guess you WindClanners aren't known for size."

Now, Briarpaw wasn't known for being short on temper. In fact, she was normally very mellow and friendly. But StarClan's kits, this man was infuriating! Before she could realize what she was doing, Briarpaw moved quickly and leaped at him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him down with her feet, planting them on his stomach. A satisfying gasp of surpriseexited the man's lips as he began to fall backwards. What Briarpaw wasn't counting on, however, was a strong arm being wrapped around her and she fell with him, slamming her cheek against his chest once they hit the ground.

A growl vibrated through her, effectively striking fear into her mind as the rumble emitted from deep in the warrior's throat. In a flash, the man had flipped their positions and pinned her down; his hands, larger than her own, forcing his weight down on her shoulders painfully. He glared at her from above, his dark, orange-amber eyes sharp with anger.

"That hurt," he growled. His lips twitched, flashing his white fangs repeatedly, as if he was deciding whether or not to sink them into Briarpaw's throat. He pressed his hands down a bit harder, growling a bit louder, and Briarpaw clenched her eyes shut as she prepared to die. Why had she let her temper get the best of her? Now she'd be killed because of her stupid anger and she didn't even want to think about what her clanmates would say when they found out. She held her breath and waited.

Just as suddenly as she'd been pinned, Briarpaw felt the weight being lifted off of her. She waited a few heartbeats, wondering if it would come back. Was he toying with her? Did he want her to look at him while he killed her?

"Open your eyes," the warrior growled, sounding as if he were a tail-length or two away.

Briarpaw obeyed, surprised to see that he wasn't above her any longer. She sat up quickly, looking around and spotting him a good three feet away. His chest was heaving and his eyes were burning with remaining anger. However, he did seem to have calmed himself down a bit, much to her relief. Still, this situation was dangerous. She was on ThunderClan land now, something she had done on her own, and he had every right to drag her to his camp and do whatever it was ThunderClan warriors did with trespassers.

The warrior looked away from her, muttering in a stiff voice, "I don't hurt women. Just get up and get out."

That seemed like a great idea at the moment, and Briarpaw found herself doing just that, hurrying back into the stream and onto her own homeland. She was covered in dirt and could feel the sting of a scrape or two, but didn't slow down until she was a good tree-length away. She'd have to clean herself up, but she'd find a different stream or pool of water to do it in. She felt the chill of the breeze sweeping around her wet body, but honestly couldn't care less about catching a cold at the moment.

She didn't know what possessed her to do it, but she glanced back. The warrior was only just now walking away, duck in hand. He seemed calmer now that she was gone, but Briarpaw didn't dare test the chance of angering him again. Her shoulders pulsed with pain in reminder of the warrior's strength, and she was certain that they'd have a nasty bruise.

' _I don't hurt women', my ass,_ Briarpaw thought bitterly.

* * *

Ravenstrike didn't know what to think of the WindClan female. She had tested his temper far more than anyone else had dared to in the past few months. He hated his new anger, but it had become part of his character, crawling over his heart and mind like a parasite. It was his fault for lending his heart away so carelessly, he could admit that easily.

Even now, his tail twitched with his remaining anger, and he shook his head in an attempt to shake it off. He honestly hoped that he hadn't hurt her too badly, though he knew that she'd have bruises. He wasn't really concerned about the girl telling her clanmates about what happened, as doing so would reveal that she had crossed the border on her own accord. Not that he minded getting punished for hurting the apprentice, he deserved it after all.

Entering camp, he sighed when he saw Bumbleheart hurrying towards him. The woman was lovely, having a voluptuous figure, shining blonde hair, and almond-shaped hazel eyes. Ravenstrike wouldn't deny that he'd enjoyed her company more than once. However, he wasn't quite in the mood for her form of comfort.

"Ravenstrike," she purred, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you all day, you know. You haven't lain with me for a whole week! How come Dovetail gets so much attention now? Are you bored with me?"

With his irritation rising up at the sound of her whining, Ravenstrike forced himself to remain calm, "Bumbleheart, I'm not in the mood right now."

"Hmph, fine," the woman pouted. But that pout quickly disappeared and she raised her hand up to pat his cheek, "I'll be ready when you are. Just say the words and I'll have you seeing StarClan again and again~."

With that, she walked off towards Darkwater, whom noticed her immediately and tried to escape unsuccessfully. Ravenstrike felt a tinge of pity for the younger man, but turned his attention to the nursery as he saw his brother exiting it. Surely talking to Copperwind would soothe him, or rather, using him as an outlet for his anger.

After dropping off the duck with those on meal-duty, he walked over to his brother at a brisk pace. Copperwind glanced towards him and seemed to get that Ravenstrike wasn't in the best of spirits, saying a few more words to Fennelfur before meeting him halfway. The two made their way to a deserted part of camp, a few fox-lengths from the warriors hut.

"What is it this time? Did one of the apprentices tread on your tail?" Copperwind asked, clearly trying to throw in some humor. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

"No," Ravenstrike growled before lowering his voice, "I had a run-in with a WindClanner."

Copperwind's eyebrows rose, "Oh? Did he taunt you or something?"

"Not a he, it was a she," the younger brother replied, "And she knocked me down after a little hunting dispute."

"Oh, please don't tell me you crossed the border."

"No! Just _listen_ to me, okay?" Ravenstrike snapped. His brother went quiet, waiting for the younger to continue.

"There was a duck in the stream and I caught it. Apparently, she was stalking it and got pissed when I got to it before her," Ravenstrike explained.

"The anger's warranted, but fair's fair," Copperwind commented, his face revealing no bias. He was always good at remaining neutral.

"Anyways, after she knocked me down, I got pissed and flipped us, which meant pinning her," Ravenstrike continued, ignoring the look that he received as he said this, "I let her go, but I'm sure that she'll have bruises."

Seeing as he was finished, Copperwind ran a hand through his golden-brown hair and sighed, shaking his head. He looked up at his brother with the look that a mother might have when she's about to give a scolding, "You'd better hope she doesn't go blabbing to her clanmates, or we might have some trouble on our hands. And by we, I mean _you_."

"I'm sure she won't, since she's the one that crossed the border in the first place," Ravenstrike assured him, "She may be an apprentice, but I think she's smart enough to know that she'll get some trouble, too."

"An _apprentice_?!"

Shit. He let that loose on accident. Ravenstrike knew all too well how Copperwind felt about harming those less experienced that him, and knew that his brother wouldn't tolerate such actions from him, either. StarClan, when did the man become such a motherly person?

"Ravenstrike, you need to get a hold on your temper, you _know_ how cocky apprentices can be. You can't let them get the better of you," Copperwind chastised, "But you've also been getting worse and worse with each passing day! What happened to the nice, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly kind of brother I knew?"

Ravenstrike's eyes darkened and he looked away, "You know what happened."

Instantly, Copperwind deflated, moving to rest a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Listen, I know you're hurting, but you can't do this. You can't let her get the satisfaction of seeing you change completely because of just a few words."

"'Just a few words'?", Ravenstrike echoed, "Those few words hurt more than anything else, Copperwind. But you wouldn't get that. After all, you've been mooning over Fennelfur non-stop ever since she became part of the clan."

If Copperwind was angered, he didn't show it, "Ravenstrike, I know you better than StarClan themselves. I know how resilient you can be. You need to get over this. It's been six months!"

"I know."

"Do you?"

Ravenstrike looked back at his brother. There was nothing but concern in those golden eyes. He felt his anger melt away, but the stress still remained. He sighed, lifting his hand to wipe at the back of his neck before responding, "Yes, I know. I'll work on it, okay?"

Copperwind didn't seem happy with the answer, but he took it, "Alright. Now I've promised to get some damson berries for Fennelfur; she's been craving them all afternoon. We'll talk more about this later, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

With one last pat on his brother's shoulder, Copperwind walked passed him, heading outside. Ravenstrike watched him, catching sight of Bumbleheart as the woman gossiped with a couple other women. He felt a sudden rush of need flow into his body.

Maybe he could make use of her offer, after all.

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 **A/N: Badda-bing, badda-boom, there it is. The prologue is now up, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. The first chapter will hopefully be up soon. In the meantime, remember to read and review.**

 **Guys, I am** _ **not**_ **in need of anymore OCs at the moment, but I will tell you when/if I do need them. So just keep 'em to yourselves for the time being.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Out of all the pairings in the** _ **Blurred**_ **series so far, Ravenstrike and Briarsong are the only ones who haven't known each other their whole lives. They're also the only forbidden couple so far.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	3. One: On the Hunt

**~Briarsong~**

"Hey, Briarsong, wake up!"

Stirring at the sound of a familiar voice, Briarsong groaned and reluctantly opened her eyes slowly. The light of dawn was breeching through a hole in one of the walls of the warriors hut. It stung her eyes immediately as if agreeing with her waker, and she hissed as she sat up to escape the light. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glared at the hole. She'd be sure to get some help in fixing it later.

Swiftfall stood up in front of her, having been crouching before, and placed her hands on her hips with a smile, "Finally! I thought I'd have to get Redfur in here!"

"Ugh, don't ever do that. I know what he did to Lighteyes," Briarsong said with a shudder. When the older warrior refused to wake up, Redfur had picked some nettle and promptly swatted his friend in the face with it. Four years later, and Lighteyes still jumps to attention the very minute some says 'wake up'.

With a laugh, Swiftfall lead the way out of the hut, a still-sleepy Briarsong trailing behind her. The sky was partly-cloudy, promising rain in the near future, but bits of pale-blue could be seen like patches of sunlight on the forest floor. Warriors went about their usual duties, though it was obvious that the dawn-patrol had already left. Some were making small adjustments to the nursery and elders hut while others tended to weaving new materials into nests and throwing the old out. Badgerpaw and Pantherpaw seemed to be the only apprentices remaining in camp, both of which were begging their mentors to take them outside camp for training. Deerleap nursed Alderkit with a content look on her face as Windstreak told Fawnkit stories. Two of the elders, Reedspeck and Larkfeather, were resting against the Sun Boulder while Dawnfur prattled on about anything and everything.

Briarsong brightened, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. WindClan was well and thriving.

It had been a cruel, hungry leaf-bare that lasted a good moon longer than it should have, but new-leaf had stepped in and melted away every bit of snow and ice. Prey had returned and the territory was alive with life once more as the grass inched higher and higher with each day. Briarsong was pleased to know that her and her brothers' birthday was coming up within the next two moons, a day in which she could take a trip to the ever awe-inspiring Moonpool. Hopefully, they'd have something to say to her this time around. She'd been horribly disappointed in the last two years, having only met silence in their starry hunting grounds.

Her mind turned away from the topic of StarClan as Flowerdusk hurried towards her and Swiftfall. The woman's full breasts bounced with each step she took, and Briarsong was happy that she no longer had to fight away the insecurity that once clawed at her. Flowerdusk had always been more attractive than both her and Swiftfall, something that was odd, considering that she and Swiftfall were half-sisters. But the older woman was one of her best friends, and Briarsong loved her nonetheless. Besides, Flowerdusk was ignoring every hungry stare now that she had become Raventail's mate.

"There you two are," Flowerdusk said, raising her hand in a subtle greeting, "You're both needed on the first hunting patrol."

"Will you be joining us?" Briarsong questioned, watching as her friend shook her head afterwards.

"No, I'm helping with Amberpaw's assessment," the woman replied.

Briarsong gasped, "She's already becoming a warrior? But she hasn't turned sixteen yet!"

"Her birthday's next week, and her first heat is apparently coming soon. Eaglestar said it wouldn't hurt to let her be a bit early."

"Well, Firepaw will certainly be disappointed," Swiftfall said with a laugh, "He loved sleeping next to her. I swear I saw him sniff her tail once."

"So what?" Briarsong asked, quirking an eyebrow. The smirk she got in response made her a bit wary.

"He was _testing_ ," Swiftfall said slyly.

Briarsong stared blankly while Flowerdusk let out a laugh. It took a moment for her to remember what that meant but when she did, a full-on blush covered her face.

"But he's only fifteen! How can he be interested in heats already?!" she cried in a low voice. StarClan, she'd never be able to look at the apprentice the same way again!

"Briarsong, males become interested in heats the very moment they hit fourteen and are able to detect them. They just can't do anything about it until they turn seventeen," Flowerdusk explained as if it were obvious. Of course she knew that, since Flowerdusk was always the one full of this kind of knowledge.

Shining Silverpelt, Briarsong couldn't imagine how the male apprentices felt whenever she went into heat. In the two years she's had them, Briarsong had always gone to help the apprentices with their duties in order to avoid the matured men of the Clan as much as possible. She hadn't realized that Pantherpaw, Lightpaw, and Firepaw could all smell her! Well, she wouldn't be doing it this year, that was for sure!

Flowerdusk suddenly went serious as if she'd realized something, "Ah geez, you two need to get over to Sootleaf. The others are probably waiting on you."

Briarsong stiffened, knowing that her friend was more than likely right. And while Sootleaf was her mother, the woman didn't tolerate anything less than punctuality. She could already hear her mother saying 'you can't keep others up' in her head. Not wanting to be any later than they already were, Briarsong grabbed Swiftfall's hand and uttered a quick 'good-bye' to Flowerdusk before hurrying towards the camp entrance.

As Flowerdusk had predicted and she had suspected, Sootleaf was tapping her foot on the ground with growing impatience when they finally got to the patrol. Aside from them, Silvermoon and Addertail were there, along with the red-head's apprentice, Harepaw. The deputy waited until Briarsong and Swiftfall were close enough before speaking to them with crossed arms and narrowed eyes.

"I sent Flowerdusk to fetch you over ten minutes ago," she said.

"Yes," Briarsong replied nervously, "But we just got a bit sidetracked."

"Gossiping, by the looks of it," Silvermoon commented with a shake of her head. Well, she wasn't wrong. Silvermoon had never favored gossiping anyways, and usually preferred to chat quietly with Crowtail, though no one ever knew what about.

Sootleaf passed her a glance before returning her focus to her daughter, "We'll talk about this later. Let's go."

Briarsong didn't speak to her mother, deciding that it was best to let her cool down while they walked to the designated hunting area. Swiftfall seemed to have the same idea, and kept close to Briarsong as they moved.

Stepping out of camp, Briarsong took a deep breath, appreciating the many scents that were carried on the wind. Flowers, prey, and water from the stream could all be smelled from the breeze alone. That wasn't all, though. She could scent the river in RiverClan, forest of ThunderClan, and even the pines from ShadowClan. It was pleasing to know that all the scents of every territory came straight to WindClan, as if they were the very center of StarClan's attention. After all, they did lie directly beneath the stars, unlike any other clan.

Judging by their direction, Briarsong could guess that they were heading towards RiverClan. Swiftfall came up to her.

"Do you think we'll catch that heron this time?" she asked quietly. A different hunting patrol had caught a heron a moon ago, which had been the tastiest thing Briarsong had ever tasted, aside from lapwing, of course. That heron's mate still remained in the same place, just on the border of WindClan and RiverClan. It had managed to escape to RiverClan's side last time a hunting group had tried to catch it.

"Maybe," Briarsong replied. She'd certainly like to catch the bird, but she found the idea unlikely, since it was nearly as tall as her, with a beak that was nothing short of frightening.

They had reached the border, and Briarsong could smell that it had recently been re-marked on their own side, but not on RiverClan's. It likely meant that a patrol would come soon. Hopefully they'd be gone before the patrol showed up, as to avoid any trouble.

"There it is!" Harepaw shouted out of the blue, causing Briarsong and Swiftfall to jump. The boy was pointing at the heron, which stood silently beside a tree, a good couple tree-lengths away. The bird didn't seem to notice them, even as the apprentice had shouted.

Addertail lightly swatted his apprentice over the head, "What have I said about being quiet? Any other prey would have run off from that outburst!"

"Sorry…" Harepaw muttered, rubbing his head despite the swat having been too light to have hurt.

Addertail kept his stern look for only a few more seconds before softening and turning to Sootleaf, "Ready to split?"

Sootleaf looked around before resting her eyes on the heron, "No, I think we could try for it."

No one had to ask what she meant. Briarsong felt excitement in the pit of her belly at the prospect of attempting to catch the large bird. Though she was certain that she'd never be the one to bring down the bird, she was sure that they could do it with Addertail to help. Sootleaf and Silvermoon had greater experience, but Addertail was larger than the bird, and could help efficiently.

Her mother looked back at all of them, "If something goes wrong in the least bit, back off. Understand? I don't want anyone getting hurt."

She didn't wait for a response before she continued, informing everyone on the plan. No one hesitated to get into position, making sure that the heron didn't see them. Briarsong positioned herself a good ways away to the side, having been told to stop the bird if it tried to fly off by grabbing its legs.

It didn't take long, however, for her to realize that that wouldn't be necessary. The bird seemed weaker than it had been before, as it had less power in its wings as it tried to take off when Silvermoon leaped at it. Swiftfall had jumped up when the older woman missed, and grabbed onto one of its wings. Before it could turn to stab at her with its beak, Addertail had forced his weight on it and pinned the bird to the ground.

Briarsong watched as the creature let out cries of both rage and fear, its wings held down by Harepaw and Swiftfall. Sootleaf was the one to end the heron's terror as she twisted and held its throat for the few minutes it took to go limp. The woman then stood and motioned for Briarsong to come over.

In spite of her disappointment at not getting to play a part, Briarsong was still giddy as she hurried towards her clanmates. The heron truly was an enormous bird, and she estimated it to be just a few inches longer than her own height. It would surely feed the clan well.

"I can't wait to tell the others," Harepaw exclaimed, "Pantherpaw will be so jealous!"

"We're lucky that it was already injured," Addertail said, pointing to its left leg, "Looks like it got cut on something pretty bad not too long ago."

Silvermoon knelt down to examine it, "Weird. Looks like something a spear would inflict."

At that moment, they all jumped at the sound of a shout, "Hey!"

Looking over the border, Briarsong was displeased to see a RiverClan warrior running towards them with an angry expression. She realized that there'd definitely be trouble when she noticed that he held a spear. Great…

"That was ours!" the man growled, stopping just before the border. His clanmates, four of them, caught up a few heartbeats later. All looking just as angry when they spotted the fallen heron.

One of them, an apprentice, hissed out, "We were hunting that bird!"

"Cool it, Leopardpaw," one man warned, whom Briarsong assumed was her mentor.

Sootleaf calmly spoke to the leader of the patrol, "This heron was on our side of the border, and therefore our prey."

The man glared at her, lashing his tail, "We were the ones who cut its leg. We only lost it for a moment."

"It's ours by the code," Addertail growled, "It's not our fault that it was strong enough to get away."

The leader turned his glare onto the red-head, but Addertail didn't back down. Briarsong admired him for his bravery, as he'd certainly be dead if looks could kill. It was obvious to the RiverClanners that he'd spoken the truth, and none of them seemed happy about it.

"I'm sure that you'd say the same if one of our deer ran onto your land, right?" Swiftfall queried, crossing her arms with a knowing smirk. This earned her a loud growl from one of the women in the group.

They all glared at each other for a couple moments longer before the lead man snorted and turned away, swishing his tail for his patrol to follow.

"Come on, we've got better things to do than talk to some WindClanners and a half-Clan," he said, casting a smirk towards the WindClan patrol before walking off.

"But we could have taken them, Scarredface!" Leopardpaw whined, her tail still bristling as she followed her clanmates anyway.

Briarsong had stiffened when Scarredface made the "half-Clan" comment. It was a well-known rumor that Sootleaf had had an affair with a barn-cat named Solo, as she would apparently run off often as a young adult, for long periods of time. Briarsong had met him only once before, and wasn't reassured at all when she saw that he had green eyes and brown hair like her. She looked to her mother, and saw that Sootleaf had tensed as well.

She remained stiff as an oak until the RiverClan patrol was out of sight, relaxing afterwards and turning back towards the rest of the group, "Let's head back."

Swiftfall and Silvermoon lifted the heron between the two of them, following after Sootleaf. Harepaw was close behind them, observing the bird with wide eyes. Briarsong chose to hang back, still upset by Scarredface's words. Addertail seemed to notice this and slowed his pace until they we next to each other.

"You shouldn't pay attention to some RiverClanner's words," he said, "Scarredface has always had a bad attitude."

Briarsong sighed, "Yeah, I can get that. I just hate it when people say stuff like that, even though it's been so long. I guess I'm not very resilient."

"You're kidding, right? You're the most stubborn woman I've ever met," Addertail said with a smile. He was obviously trying to brighten her mood, and he was certainly successful.

"Really? Not many guys like stubborn girls," Briarsong replied jokingly. She didn't expect Addertail to drop his smile and sport a look that seemed as if he were panicking internally.

"You're other things, too," he sputtered, "Kind, friendly, and open-minded."

Briarsong laughed to the man's expense, "I'm joking, Addertail, just joking! You're always so eager to please; it's sweet."

Addertail looked away, blushing from embarrassment, "You know…even if you are half-Clan, you're still my friend."

"…Thanks," Briarsong said after a moment of stunned silence. They'd fallen farther behind with all their talking, and Briarsong was sure that Sootleaf would scold her for it later. Oh well, it just gave Briarsong more time to appreciate the land she loved. The grass brushed against her thighs as she walked, tickling her gently as the breeze pushed each and every green blade. She felt content in times like this.

"—assist you," Addertail finished. Briarsong realized that she hadn't heard most of what he said, much to her guilt and embarrassment.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Ah…I…um," the red-head stuttered before continuing, "I think you should start looking out, cause your heat is coming, you know..."

That was true, though Briarsong never particularly liked talking about this kind of topic. She knew that her heat was coming, and that she'd be in full-blown fertility in just a week. In all honesty, she loathed her heats for the pain that they brought her. While most women said that theirs was filled with constant, tingling pleasure, Briarsong was plagued by pulsating aches for an entire week. But while she knew that her time of fertility was coming very soon, she hadn't expected anyone to smell her so early.

Briarsong blushed, "You—you can smell me already?"

"…Yeah."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Ugh, I hate making filler chapters. Unfortunately, they are a necessity. The real fun begins within the next three or four chapters!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Like periods in human women, heats can vary from female to female. For some, heats are tingling and hard to ignore, others feel weak and hot. A few women feel nothing but pain until they are relieved.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	4. Two: We Meet Again

**=Ravenstrike=**

The moon had slowly climbed its way higher into the sky, crawling through the darkness of night and smiling down on the land below it with a wide, gently glowing face. With the moon being full, everyone around the lake knew that it was time to attend the monthly Gathering. Most were genuinely excited to go to the island, since they'd be able to mingle with friends from other clans without worrying about fights breaking out. Ravenstrike, unfortunately, could not find himself sharing their anticipation.

Personally, he hated Gatherings, and usually did his best to avoid going to them. It even came to the point that he asked Oakstar to let him stay in camp. Unfortunately, he occasionally found himself having no choice but to go, much like on this night.

"What's got you so down?"

Snapping his attention away from the ground before him, Ravenstrike looked up to see Hawkspeck walking beside him. The older man appeared genuinely interested, so he replied.

"Just tired," Ravenstrike lied.

Hawkspeck made a sound that told him that the man wasn't convinced, but all he said was, "We haven't even gotten to the island yet, and you're tired? Perhaps you should have taken Copperwind's advice and eaten before we left, that would've woken you a bit."

Copperwind wasn't coming with the group to the Gathering, much to Ravenstrike's disappointment. At least with his brother there, he could have had a distraction. But the man wanted to stay behind to watch over Fennelfur, who had been having stomach pains. Reasonable enough, he supposed.

"Yeah, I'll just eat when we get back," Ravenstrike mumbled, turning his sight to see what was in front of him. They had arrived at the tree-bridge, where WindClan was also present. He was surprised that no one was hissing at each other, but figured that they were all obeying the truce. One by one, nekos from both clans jumped onto the tree and carefully hurried across onto the island.

Hawkspeck patted him on the shoulder before stepping onto the tree and beginning to walk. Behind him and just in front of Ravenstrike was a young female warrior. Ravenstrike didn't pay much mind to her, as he just wanted to get across in order to get the Gathering over with. When his turn came, he moved briskly, but with caution. It had recently rained, and the bark of the tree was a bit slippery. No one wanted to end up in the chilly waters of the lake; no one except for RiverClan, perhaps.

A sudden shriek ripped through the air, and Ravenstrike watched as the WindClan female fell off the tree, having moved too fast and ripped the bark beneath her feet. Instinctively, he grabbed for her, managing to grasp one of her arms before she was lost to the water. Already, she was rib-deep and panicking.

"Calm down! I've got you!" he informed her, pulling the woman up once she stopped smacking him out of fear. She was dripping wet, her long-haired tail heavy and dark from the water. Ravenstrike gave her a once-over, deciding that the only wounds she'd received were to her pride.

"Thank you," the woman said gratefully, lifting her head to look at him, "I could ha—"

She stopped and stared at him, and Ravenstrike stared right back. Those green eyes. He'd remember them anywhere. Though the last time he saw them nearly four years ago, they'd been filled with anger. Now, he only saw shock that quickly softened, but he didn't get to see that softness for more than a heartbeat before she was getting to her feet carefully, then turning to continue the walk to the island.

"Thanks," she repeated, albeit in a much quieter voice, before she started walking. Ravenstrike followed her awkwardly, as there was nothing else he could do, and he was obviously holding up the few nekos behind him. He found himself wanting to hear her speak again, as her voice had rang in his ears with a strangely enrapturing tune to it.

When he stepped onto the island, Ravenstrike watched as the woman rushed to meet up with a pair of nekos that looked related, one of them being a decent-looking man. For whatever reason, he felt anger flood into his veins. He quite possibly just saved her life, as he doubted WindClanners practiced swimming, and she just runs off? Sure, she thanked him, but still…

"Romancing the young ladies, are we?" a voice questioned slyly from behind him. Turning, Ravenstrike saw Darkwater grinning like an idiot.

He growled, "I'm not in the mood for any jokes. And no…she's WindClan."

Darkwater didn't seem deterred, and the amusement stayed in his eyes, "Yeah, whatever you say. I'm just trying to cheer you up, okay?"

"Well in that case, cut it out," Ravenstrike snapped, turning and storming off. He wasn't sure why he was so mad, but he knew that he'd be apologizing to his clanmate in the morning, and dealing with Copperwind when the younger man mentioned the outburst. He found a good, secluded spot to sit and plopped down. The ground was bit wet, but he honestly didn't give a shit.

The Gathering officially began when Goldenstar called for attention, and she started to share her news as soon as it was quiet enough. Nothing much was going on in ShadowClan except for a fox being chased out, which the leader warned the others about. After her came Ripplestar, who announced that Whitepaw had earned her warrior name, now being known as Whiteflower. Oakstar followed suit, giving news that Ravenstrike already knew well enough about. Then came Eaglestar's turn.

"We'd like to announce that one of our apprentices has also earned her full name. Amberpaw is now Amberlight," he declared. Chants and congratulations started up as per usual, and Ravenstrike saw a young brunette looking awfully proud of herself. For a moment, he thought that it was the woman from earlier, but he noticed that her face lacked the distinctive freckles, and that her ears and tail were the wrong color.

His WindClanner was off to the side, he noticed, seeming content as she sat next to the red-haired man that Ravenstrike had seen. Again, he was angry and didn't even know why. With a scowl, he turned his attention to the ground as Eaglestar finished his report. None of it was very interesting, so he decided to just glare at the ground until the Gathering was ended by Oakstar.

Irritatingly enough, his anger lasted throughout the entire walk home. As the sun rose at a lazy pace, Ravenstrike boiled over his unexplained fury and tried in vain to calm himself down. He didn't even know why he was so mad, but he was certainly sure that it had to do with that WindClan warrior. After all, he hasn't been so angry since the day she pushed him to the ground, coaxing his rage out and making him hurt her. Just the memory of it made him reel with disgust towards himself. He didn't harm women unless it was in battle; that was one of his morals. Yet that woman had forced out his aggression with little to no effort.

Her voice, however, really got his attention. He hadn't noticed it three years ago, but her voice had a chime to it that reminded him of the bell that once hung around Fennelfur's neck. She had a lovely voice; he couldn't deny that. But the sound of it had only multiplied his urge to pin her down just like he'd done when they first met.

By time he got to camp with the others, his blood was boiling. StarClan, he needed to release some of his tension before he blew up at someone. He'd done it before, having shouted at Ebonykit for accidentally treading on his tail, thus earning a much-deserved slap from a protective Fennelfur. Along with that slap had come a disbelieving look from Copperwind, something that Ravenstrike could not forget no matter how much he wanted to. Then again, most of his memories were of events that he wished could be erased from his mind.

Unaware that he was growling, he spotted Dovetail and marched over to her. The woman had obviously just woken up, but Ravenstrike knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't mind a tumble before her morning-meal. Her amber eyes lit up when she noticed him, and Ravenstrike could almost read her thought from the expression on her face.

" _He's angry. This'll be a good fuck,"_ is what was plainly written on her face. Ravenstrike snorted, grabbing her arm and holding it tightly, though careful enough not to bruise. He swore that she cooed something to him, but he wasn't listening. His mind was focused on one thing, and that was to get rid of his anger by pounding it into the woman. Already, his manhood was demanding attention as it stood up as if in search of something to enter. Finally, he found a private-enough spot and began to ravish Dovetail.

He did not expect, however, to imagine the WindClan female below him instead of his clanmate.

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 **A/N: Whew! A bit shorter than the last chapter, but I hope that you guys could still enjoy it. Though it may not be entirely clear, I'm going for a subtle, love-at-first-sight type of situation here.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Ravenstrike and Copperwind's mother is Berryspring. Their uncle is Duskleap.**

 **Please remember to review your thoughts on this story. What do you think of the characters so far? Do you have any questions? Stuff like that.**

 **Also, I post polls on my profile that change at least once a month. They usually have to do with this series, so I'd appreciate it if you voted on them.**

 **Alright, I'm done pestering you guys.**

 **Later, my lovelies~**

 **\- Tina**


	5. Three: She Knew Better

**~Briarsong~**

It was time. With her lower midsection cramping up, and her core wet and aching, she knew that her heat had come. Her body was racked with pain, pulsating with the need to mate. It was absolute torture, and Briarsong knew that she'd be forced to endure it for an entire week.

She'd also be enduring it alone.

Having found out that being near the apprentices would only torment the young males, she'd decided to go away for the duration of her heat. It wasn't uncommon, as plenty of other unmated women left camp during this time, including her mother. She'd gone to Eaglestar and told him that she wanted to leave, and the leader hadn't hesitated in giving her permission. So now she was on her own, having chosen to wait out her heat just outside the clan territories. She could still see the moors she loved and the forest of ThunderClan, as well as the Moonpool, but she figured that no one would be able to sniff her out.

 _This is awful_ , she thought. She squirmed on the grassy ground, having removed her coverings. The air was warm, so she didn't have to worry about catching cold. However, it made her horribly uncomfortable as her body gave off its own heat, getting no relief from the air around it. She opted the hold her tail up, as it was too painful whenever it brushed against her skin.

Touching herself only made things worse. Each time she rolled her nipples between her fingers or rubbed at her dripping lower lips, the pain would increase. It was as if her body was saying "stop with this fake pleasure, you need something real".

Still, she tried to relieve herself. Be it rubbed against her own fingers or rolling around like a dog, she always ended up with nothing but pain and frustration. Even now, she lay out on the ground in a position that she would have found humiliating if she were in the right state of mind. With her upper body on the ground, and her bottom high in the air, she whimpered pathetically loud. She fantasized that her calls would reel in a male, and that her pain would be relieved. It was a ridiculous fantasy, but it kept her mind off the throbbing ache in her body.

Perhaps she should have taken Addertail's offer. The young man had come to her just a few days before her heat hit, and nervously proposed that he could assist her through it. She'd declined the offer, of course. To her, Addertail was a very good friend, and that was all Briarsong would probably ever see him as. She wanted to kick herself for being so quick to turn him down, as she could really use the red-haired male's help now. With her hips high in the air, she pushed two fingers into her entrance and tried to soothe her ache again.

The wetness that had been seeping out of her opening quickly covered her fingers, much to her disgust, and dripped onto the ground with each small thrust of her fingers. Her thighs moved farther apart as she tried to get deeper within herself. She panted, desperately hoping to offer some pleasure in place of the pain that she was feeling. With a cry of frustration, she yanked her fingers out and clawed at the earth, bring up grass as her lower parts pulsed with pain.

Briarsong was vaguely aware of the tears that were rolling down her cheeks as her core ached. She had only worsened her situation, of course, and her lower abdomen cramped once more to prove this. StarClan, why did she have to endure this? Why could she have been born male instead? Why—

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of a twig snapping. She sat up, trying to ignore her need as she looked for the source. Was it a dog? No, it would have run at her by now. Maybe a fox? She sniffed, but couldn't make out anything beyond her own arousal. Tail twitching nervously, Briarsong wondered if she should run. However, she instead decided to do something that Sootleaf would have called incredibly stupid.

"Hello?" she called tentatively. She didn't expect an answer, but she didn't expect a young man to appear either. He pushed aside a tree branch and made eye-contact with her. It was the same man from the Gathering…the same man from three years ago.

She didn't know what to make of him. If this were before the Gathering, she would have glared daggers at him. But he quite possibly saved her life last week, so now she was uncertain about him. Her body didn't seem to share that wariness, as her core let out some more wetness and with it came more heat-scent. To her surprise, he didn't move towards her immediately, but rather narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you here?" he asked in a low voice, his arms crossed over his bare chest. The sound of it made Briarsong quiver involuntarily.

Clearing her throat, she replied, "I'm in heat, why do you think I'm here? I..I know you can smell me."

"Yes, but why are you outside your territory? Shouldn't you be with your mate or something?" the man snapped, his tail lashing. He glanced around, and Briarsong wondered if he thought a WindClan male was going to appear suddenly.

"I don't have a mate," she said, becoming irritated, "I left for privacy."

"So WindClan men don't assist women in heat?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"They...they do. I even had an offer…" Briarsong trailed off. She felt the already-present flush on her face become hotter as she caught his scent. It was undeniably male, and her lower lips were quite literally drooling at the smell of a possible partner. She needed to get away from him.

The man continued to look her over silently, and Briarsong noticed that his tail had stopped lashing. It now slowly moved from side to side, though still bristling. She became wary again when his eyes flashed, brightening slightly.

"You sounded like you were having trouble earlier," he said smoothly, "I don't suppose you'd mind some help?"

Briarsong knew that she should refuse. It was against StarClan's law for two nekos from different Clans to have any type of romantic—or in this case, intimate—relationship. But her body was screaming at her to agree, and her core trembled with the anticipation of being relieved. Against her better judgment, she nodded, earning a surprised look from the ThunderClanner.

Turning and getting back into her previous position, Briarsong looked over her shoulder at him, lifted her tail up and said, "Please help me."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Gwah, we're getting into sexy times! Next chapter will be the actually deed. *rubs hands together evilly***

 **Fun-Fact:** **If you look, you'll noticed that each of the stories in the** _ **Blurred**_ **series have a certain amount of words in the title of the chapters. This number corresponds with the story's part of the series.**

 **Please remember to review! Reviews help motivate me to continue writing!**

 **Later, my lovelies~**

 **\- Tina**


	6. Four: Breaking the Code

**WARNING:** **Sex.**

 **=Ravenstrike=**

"Please help me."

Ravenstrike wasn't exactly sure as to how he should respond to those words. With her tail up and her eyes pleading, it was obvious that the WindClan woman had taken his jest seriously, and expected him to mount her. Just like that, his anger sparked. For most males, having a female present herself like this was just a highly desired wish, and they'd jump on a chance like this. To Ravenstrike, however, it infuriated him.

Perhaps if it was a different woman, like Dovetail or Bumbleheart, or even Mouseshade, he'd be pleased by the invitation. But for whatever reason, he was pissed. She gave in too easily, in his mind; too ready to mate, as if it didn't even matter that it was him. He supposed that she'd happily romp with any male that came along and asked.

Tail lashing, he moved forward at a brisk pace and pounced on her. He ignored the surprised yelp that came from the woman as he forced her face into the ground, grinding against her rear. Her fluffy tail curled, but was pushed to the side by his hips.

"Hey," the woman hissed, "Be gentle!"

Ravenstrike suppressed his rationality, knowing full-well that she had no right to complain after what she'd done. Instead of obeying, he saw to removing the covering that separated them. A twinge of satisfaction ran through him when she stiffened. The feeling faded, however, when he noticed that she was shaking, and the faintest bit of fear-scent caught his attention. Seeing as he was the obvious cause of her sudden wariness, Ravenstrike felt his rage waver and realized how much of an ass he was being.

Reluctantly, he leaned down and brushed his cheek against hers, "Calm down, alright? I'm not gonna hurt you."

He only went back to his work when she relaxed. He was still madder than a fox, but was restrained enough to avoid being rough, moving a hand to feel her. Her slit was soaked, naturally, and he could feel the warmth emitting from her. Judging her wetness, he pushed a finger between her folds. One of the perks of heat happened to be making a woman loose for entry, and he decided to add two more. Ravenstrike frowned when she squeaked, and he guessed that she was a virgin from her reaction.

"Just do it already…" the female groaned, lifting her hips to push against him impatiently.

Ravenstrike growled in response, wondering if she'd do the same thing for a different man. He figured that she definitely would, as there was certainly nothing special about their situation. In spite of his irritation, he felt his cock harden at her words. Excited by the heat-scent, he figured. Nevertheless, he grabbed her hips and got into position.

Momentarily, he thought about what he was doing. This act was no doubt breaking the code, but Ravenstrike's clan was one that taught their men how to assist a female in heat. It was a normal thing, and most men felt that it was their duty to agree when a woman asked for their help. This was no different in his mind, and he had ulterior motives.

Since he saved her at the Gathering, Ravenstrike had been plagued by non-stop thoughts about her. He didn't even know her name and he had endured three wet-dreams in the past week. Of course, it was only natural that when he tried to relieve himself by visiting Dovetail or Bumbleheart, that he could only imagine this woman beneath him. Now here she was in the flesh, and he hoped to StarClan above that having sex with her would put a stop to his obsession.

He prodded at her pink folds with his cock, feeling himself twitch in his hand, and noticed that she squirmed as he did so. As he slowly entered her, he noticed a bit of resistance that confirmed his earlier thought that she was a virgin. He'd been with a virgin only once before, and knew that it was a painful process to get rid of it. But from that experience, he knew that it was best to deal with it like ripping a thorn from a kit's foot; quickly. As such, he didn't hesitate to tear through the barrier with a harsh thrust, thus seating himself deep inside of her.

Now, he knew that women had varied responses from stories he'd heard. The way that this female responded wasn't like anything that he'd been told of.

She cried as soon as he'd torn through her virginity, jerking forward and hurrying to escape from the source of her pain. Ravenstrike had enough experience to know that that was a bad idea, and was quick to grab her waist, yanking her back to him. When she screeched and fought against him, he resorted to one of the more primal tactics to hold her still. He leaned forward and opened his mouth wide to clamp down on the back of her neck.

The reaction was instant, the younger neko going still as she was bitten. Her screams had stopped, but Ravenstrike noticed that she was choking back sobs. Was the pain really that awful for her? Ravenstrike mentally sighed, knowing that the only way to help her through her first time was to keep going. Slowly and carefully, he began to move inside of her. He dragged himself out and eased back inside of her, gradually gaining in speed and depth.

Ravenstrike felt pleasure begin to flood into his veins as he thrusted into the WindClanner. Suppressing his urge to fuck her brains out, he paid attention to her response. The female had begun to pant, no longer showing signs of the brief agony she'd felt.

 _Good_ , Ravenstrike thought as he took his mouth away from her neck. He took note of the mark left behind on her creamy flesh as he grasped her hips. Now that she was no longer in pain, he could get to the real fun.

He began to slap his hips against hers, relishing the soft warmth of her walls as they constricted around him. The female had begun to press back against him, moving her hips to the rhythm of his thrusts so that they met each other, allowing him to get deep inside of her. Though he hated to admit it, Ravenstrike thought that she was an excellent fuck.

"Hah! Ah…Please…faster! Hng, harder!" the WindClanner pleaded, clawing at the ground in obvious pleasure. She turned her head to look at him with what he could only describe as the sexiest expression he'd ever seen. With her green eyes half-lidded, her tongue peeking out between her slightly-parted lips, and a pink blush forming on her freckled cheeks; Ravenstrike felt his cock become even harder as it gave a powerful twitch of excitement.

"Deeper, please! Ahh…" she moaned.

Out of nowhere, Ravenstrike had the sudden thought in the back of his mind that she'd pull the same thing on a different male. Another thought reminded him that he wasn't in the least bit special to her, yet she had been willing to give her virginity to the first man to stumble upon her, which could have been anyone. The idea of another man screwing this woman irked him beyond belief and he didn't even know why it mattered.

"Oh, you want more?" Ravenstrike asked with dangerous venom to his tone. The woman didn't seem to notice, however, as she nodded and pressed against him pointedly. This only made him angrier, and Ravenstrike gave her a dark smile, "Alright then."

The woman let out a cry of surprise when he pulled out and flipped her over without warning. He gave her no chance to ask questions before placing her legs over his shoulders, simultaneously slamming his hands down on the ground on each side of her head. His cock throbbed with need as he held it just above her soaking, heated core. Amber met green as he looked her in the eyes, and he saw the lust that hid behind her shock.

An involuntary moan came out of her when Ravenstrike slid his cock over her slit, allowing himself to feel her wetness again. He had to hold back his own groan as he pulsed with anticipation.

"Just remember," he growled, "You asked for this."

Not waiting for a response, he shoved himself inside of her and began thrusting. Anything the female had been poised to say vanished as she let out a cry at the intrusion. Ravenstrike watched her expressions as he moved his hips at a brisk yet rhythmic pace. Her breasts bounced with his thrusts, catching his attention. Without any hesitation, he dipped his head and placed his mouth on one of her nipples.

"Oh! Ah, yes!" the woman moaned, running her fingers through his hair in encouragement. Ravenstrike swirled his tongue around her hardened nipple. Hearing her pleasured sounds, he decided on biting down on it just hard enough to get her to gasp. The sound was satisfying, and he rewarded her by giving a suck before releasing her nipple and moving to the other one.

"Hahh…oh, StarClan, yes! Ah! Please…moreee!"

Ravenstrike pumped his hips harder at her words, relishing the way she squeezed around him. Whenever he pulled back, her cunt would tighten up as if begging him not to leave; not that he had any plan on doing so. His heavy balls slapped against her ass as he moved, adding a pleasurable spark to their coupling.

He bit down on her nipple before pulling away and looking up at her, "You like it, don't you? Ah, I can tell by that filthy look on your face. Hng…ah…"

The female below him only responded with her moans getting louder, her legs twitching as she seemed to be nearing completion. Ravenstrike hadn't even realized it, but he was edging towards his own climax quickly. This was odd, considering he'd usually last much longer. Something about this woman excited him more than any other. But she also angered him more than any other, though he couldn't come up with a reason as to why.

He threw those thoughts away when a scream caught his attention. The woman's cunt tightened up as she came, her tail hitting him harmlessly. The look on her face was amazing, turning Ravenstrike on even more than he already was. He continued pounding her, a pleased smirk on his own face.

"Oh, baby, you loved that, huh? Could one of your clanmates make you come so hard?" he asked once she began to come down from her high. He didn't know what possessed him to ask such a question, so he just blamed it on the heat of the moment.

The woman, appearing completely out of it, just nodded.

Ravenstrike's smirk fell. In his mind, she had just responded to the latter question, something at made him explode with rage. Just how could she say that when he'd brought her to such an amazing orgasm? StarClan, he didn't even want to look at her pleasure-ridden face anymore.

Making up his mind, he took one hand and pushed her jaw up until he was looking at her vulnerable throat. He hadn't even realized that he'd started to fuck her harder. His cock pushed deep inside of her with purpose as he thrusted towards his own orgasm. He panted as his loins tightened, and he felt the knot in his stomach began to loosen as his cock seemed to swell before he came.

Ravenstrike grunted as he pushed his hips up against her bottom, making sure to get balls-deep as he let go of his load. His cock twitched with each spurt of cum that he shot into her, his tip pressed firmly against her cervix. The woman screamed as she came for a second time, her legs shaking from the overstimulation. Her cunt constricted around him, milking the seed from his cock.

They stayed like that for a few more moments as Ravenstrike waited through the aftershock of their orgasms. When he finished, he pulled himself out of her, wincing from the subtle pain of his sensitivity. Once out, he lowered her legs, allowing the woman to go limp as she regained her breath. Ravenstrike plopped down next to her. The two of them smelled of pure sweat and sex, he noted. A nice scent.

He hadn't even noticed that he didn't feel angry anymore. In fact, he felt almost blissful, a feeling that he hadn't had the pleasure of having since _she_ caused his sudden temper. It felt nice, and he hoped that he'd be able to enjoy it again one day soon. He turned him head to look at the WindClanner. She seemed to have calmed down, and looked almost sleepy.

 _Cute_ , he thought without really thinking about it. Her eyes were tired and she turned to curl up next to him. Ravenstrike was surprised by the action, but didn't push her away. Now that he thought about it, her nodding might have been in response to his other question, and he honestly hoped that it was.

"Thank you…" the woman said quietly, "That was…amazing."

Great, now he felt like a total ass for treating her so roughly towards the end of their union. He supposed he had to make it up to her somehow.

Awkwardly, he said, "Ravenstrike."

"Huh?"

"My name is Ravenstrike," he said, looking away from her. He should have introduced himself _before_ they screwed. StarClan, was he a hormonal teen again? When he glanced back at her, he was surprised to see her smiling tiredly at him.

"I'm Briarsong," she said, "I guess we never did introduce ourselves, huh?"

"No, I guess not,"

"Hm…"

Ravenstrike watched her close her eyes, and figured that she'd fallen asleep. He wasn't all too surprised, since she was definitely worn-out from their session. Although he no longer had anyone to talk to, this was a good chance for him to get a good look at her. In the previous times that they'd met, Ravenstrike had never really looked her over.

Her face was a bit plain, he noted, with the freckles being the only thing that physically stood out. Her eyelashes were no longer than any other woman's, and her cheek-bones didn't define her face in any way. Still, she had an unusual cuteness about her, along with an air of innocence. He supposed that it was because she was young, and he guessed that she was sixteen years old.

The WindClanner's breasts weren't outstanding, either. They were just big enough to fill his hands, and who really needed more than a handful? However, her hips were something to take a second look at. They were wide, though not in a way that was disproportionate with her body, but just wide enough to grab some attention. He smiled, knowing that his mother would refer to them as "birthing hips". And that they were. They added a pleasant curve to her body, giving her a nice hourglass shape, though she was nowhere near as voluptuous as Bumbleheart or _her_. Despite that, Ravenstrike knew how to appreciate a woman, and he figured that she still had a bit of growing to do.

He glanced up and saw the sky's fading light peeking through the branches of trees and their leaves. His clanmates would be missing him, he realized. Copperwind would no doubt throw a fit like the worrying mother duck that he was. Ravenstrike would have to do some hunting before he went back to camp in order to have an excuse for being gone for so long. Even then, he didn't know if his brother would believe him as easily as their clanmates, as the two of them knew each other better than StarClan themselves.

He looked back at Briarsong, seeing the way her chest moved as she breathed in her sleep. She wouldn't be cold this night, as warm as the air around them was. Still, he couldn't bring himself to get up and leave like he was so used to doing with other women. He turned towards her and threw an arm around the woman protectively.

A few more minutes with her couldn't hurt.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: I hope you have enjoyed this smutty chapter. The fluff at the end was just kinda thrown in. Now that the deed is done, the fun** _ **really**_ **begins!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **A female neko's pregnancy begins to show at different times depending on how many kits she's having. The more she has, the earlier her belly swells.**

 **Please remember to hit that review button, as it would definitely offer some support and motivation.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	7. Five: She Didn't Know

**~Briarsong~**

Two moons had passed since Briarsong's last heat, and she was currently in bright spirits. Only two weeks ago, her eighteenth birthday had passed and she was more than excited about going to the Moonpool. Smokeclaw and Coalfoot seemed to share her enthusiasm, though Coalfoot only showed it with a simple smile.

"I wonder if StarClan will have anything to say to us!" Smokeclaw said. The man had gone a few steps ahead of Sageblossom, whom had left Lightpaw in charge of the medicine hut while she led the three to the sacred pool.

Coalfoot spoke coolly, "I doubt they're going to have any love advice if that's what you're hoping for."

Briarsong brought her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Instantly, Smokeclaw shot his brother a glare, "I can handle my love-life perfectly well, thank you very much!"

"Oh really? I don't think saying 'hey Swiftfall, your hair doesn't smell too bad, even though you fell in that badger set' is a very good way to support a relationship."

"Eeh! Wrong; compliments are the key to a good relationship!"

Coalfoot scoffed, "And I suppose stuttering like an idiot after a little kiss on the cheek is good, too?"

"Oh, what do you know, you—Briarsong, stop laughing! Whose side are you on?"

Briarsong did her best to choke down her laughter, though she still giggled as she spoke, "I'm on no one's side; I just like watching you two!"

She loved times like this. Smokeclaw and Coalfoot always shot remarks at each other every-now-and-then, and it was just amusing to see who'd win in their verbal matches. Even in the nursery, Briarsong would sit close to her mother while the boys went at one another. At the end, however, they always laughed it off. Briarsong smiled to herself at the fond memory. Unfortunately, she was too busy thinking and nearly tripped when her foot got caught on a tree's root. She yelped and prepared to hit the ground when a pair of arms looped around her midsection and pulled her upright.

"Are you alright?" Coalfoot asked, appearing to look her over for any damage. This was odd, considering the man wasn't the type to worry, but Briarsong brushed the thought off and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you," she replied, nudging her brother's shoulder as a way of proving it.

Sageblossom had turned around, and Briarsong noticed the slightly concerned look in the medicine holder's eyes. Smokeclaw had a similar expression, but the woman appeared to be having an inner turmoil of sorts.

"Perhaps we should go back?" Coalfoot suggested, looking at Sageblossom for the answer.

"What?" Briarsong cried, "Go back? Why, over a little trip?"

"You could have gotten some damage," Smokeclaw pointed out. Briarsong gave him an unimpressed look, but her littermate didn't seem to care.

Sageblossom looked Briarsong up-and-down for a moment before shaking her head, "No, we've already come this far. It shouldn't be long now."

With that, the medicine holder continued walking, with Smokeclaw following her lead only a second later. Briarsong looked up when Coalfoot turned to her.

"Let us know if you feel tired or sick, okay?" he said, squeezing her shoulder before nudging her forward as the two began to walk.

Briarsong was still thinking over what had just happened. Why was everyone acting so weird around her all of the sudden? This was the first time that someone had seemed concerned over little things like this. She remembered when she'd been on a border patrol only three days ago. She had slipped on some mud and fallen face-first onto the ground. It hadn't hurt all that bad, though her nose ached for a bit afterwards. But those that were in her group had instantly swarmed around her and asked things like "are you okay", "do you feel dizzy", and "do you want to go back to camp".

Even that morning, Eaglestar had seemed concerned about letting her go to the Moonpool. It was absolutely absurd in Briarsong's mind, as he had made no hesitations about her brothers. She'd been floored when Sootleaf seemed to agree with the leader's unreasonable wavering. Thankfully, Flowerdusk and Lionclaw had been kind enough to come to her defense and reason that an eighteenth birthday was very important, since StarClan would now view her as a true adult. Briarsong had never felt more grateful in her life.

 _Perhaps StarClan will explain_ , she hoped, _If they talk to me this time_.

By the time they'd gotten to the Moonpool, the sun had just fallen below the horizon, allowing the moon to occupy its darkened territory. Seeing as greenleaf had just begun, the air was warm around them. To Briarsong, greenleaf had always reminded her of the comforting warmth in the nursery, in which she had spent her first ten years close to the safety of Sootleaf.

"So, ah, do we just do it?" Smokeclaw asked despite having been to the Moonpool twice before, glancing between the pool of water and Sageblossom.

The woman smiled and nodded, "Just drink some of the water and go to sleep."

Briarsong waited while her brothers did just that. Smokeclaw decided to plop down right beside the water while Coalfoot walked a ways away, passing Briarsong a nod as he did so. Once it was her turn, Briarsong quietly knelt down and used her hands to cup some of the shining water. It was cool on her skin, and she was quick to get a few sips before the water dripped from her palms. It had been cold down her throat as well, and more refreshing than any other water she'd ever tasted.

Reluctantly, Briarsong stood and went to lay a couple tail-lengths away from Smokeclaw, passing Sageblossom as the woman gave her a reassuring smile. She curled up on the somewhat chilly stone, allowing her tail to brush against her breasts as she prepared for sleep. As she did so, she realized that the walk must have taken more energy than she had thought, as she almost immediately fell into a rhythm of slowed breathing.

In the back of her mind, Briarsong sensed Sageblossom come to sit beside her, but she was already falling into sleep and didn't react. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the stone hollow. Smokeclaw wasn't within sight, and she didn't see the Moonpool.

Instead, all Briarsong saw was the starry territory that she recognized as StarClan's. Her heart jumped when she realized where she was, and she quickly stood up. Looking around, Briarsong saw that no one was around, and she felt her hopes crumble. Would there ever be anything for StarClan to say to her?

"Welcome to StarClan, Briarsong."

Hearing the soft, feminine voice, Briarsong jumped and whirled around. Before her stood a woman that she couldn't recognize.

 _Well of course I can't recognize her, she's from StarClan_ , she thought, mentally slapping herself.

The woman was pretty; having brown hair that reached just passed her shoulders and eyes the color of honey. She wore a friendly smile as she walked closer to Briarsong, eventually stopping just a tail-length away.

"I am Leafpool, former medicine holder of ThunderClan," the woman said. Briarsong was a bit taken aback by the introduction. Why had a ThunderClanner come to speak to her instead of someone from WindClan?

"Are you going to say anything?" Leafpool asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Ah…uh, hello," Briarsong said dumbly. She had never thought of what she'd say to a StarClan member, and she certainly didn't know what to say now. It was embarrassing, really.

Nevertheless, Leafpool gave her a smile, "It's normal to be nervous when meeting StarClan for the first time. Don't fret."

Briarsong laughed awkwardly, "Good to know."

After giving an understanding nod, Leafpool's expression went serious. Briarsong straightened, wondering if there was some type of warning that was about to be given to her.

"Listen to me now, Briarsong," the former healer said, "This is very important."

Briarsong nodded and Leafpool spoke.

" _Hearts will bond, ties will break, and four will become two when blood spills._ "

Confused, Briarsong opened her mouth to ask what the woman meant. Before she could even get the words out, however, Leafpool's smile returned and she continued. As she spoke, her body began to dissipate, her voice slowly fading away.

"Do not be afraid of what is to come," she said, "You must be strong."

"What do you mean? What's going to happen?" Briarsong asked, suddenly in a panic. Was someone going to die? Maybe her clan would be attacked, or something equally terrible would happen.

Leafpool didn't answer. She simply continued smiling as she faded into the background. Her eyes caught Briarsong's attention, making her blood run cold. There was a sort of sorrowful pity in those amber orbs, and Briarsong didn't want to know why such an emotion was there. She squeezed her eyes shut, and found herself back at the stone hollow when she opened them.

* * *

"Oh, you're back!"

Briarsong smiled at Flowerdusk as the woman hurried over to her, gaining the attention of her half-siblings; both of which followed her as soon as they spotted the group. She allowed her friend to give her a tight hug, feeling the air leave her body as she was squeezed.

"Hey, hey, not too hard!" Coalfoot intervened. With a gasp, Flowerdusk released Briarsong, whom was grateful for her brother's words. He must have noticed the face that she was making, she supposed.

Looking around, Briarsong smiled when she saw Swiftfall warmly greeting Smokeclaw with an embrace and a kiss on his cheek. Naturally, the older warrior blushed and kissed her back, passing Coalfoot a look.

The camp was just beginning to stir with life as the sun peeked out over the horizon. While the nursery was still quiet, Briarsong saw her mother setting up a patrol and the elders coming out to fetch their breakfast. In all honesty, Briarsong felt that she'd never get tired of her home and the people that she loved. Her attention was torn from the camp, when she heard someone clear their throat.

Addertail stood just next to her with a smile, "How was your trip?"

"Good," Briarsong said automatically, deciding not to mention the message she'd received, "Nothing really fantastic happened, though."

"She almost fell on her face when she tripped on a tree root," Smokeclaw piped in from where he sat with Swiftfall. Briarsong glared at him as concern instantly sprung up around her from the loud statement.

"You tripped? Are you okay? Do you need any herbs or something?" Addertail asked in one breath. His hands were all over Briarsong as he checked her for injuries. She found herself becoming strangely irritable as he did so, which was odd when she felt that she'd be used to such treatment. Annoyed, she didn't think before she slapped his hands away.

"I'm fine, damn it!"

Upon seeing the shock on her friend's face, Briarsong became filled with guilt as she realized what she'd just done, "Oh Silverpelt, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me!"

Flowerdusk slapped a hand down on Briarsong's shoulder and spoke in a good-natured tone, "StarClan's kits! Who would've ever thought we'd hear you curse like that!"

"It's okay, Briarsong," Addertail added with a reassuring look, "I shouldn't have touch you so suddenly."

"Yeah, it's to be expected with your condition!" Flowerdusk said with a warm smile.

Briarsong gave them a confused look, "What condition?"

Flowerdusk's eyebrows rose in surprise, "You don't know? StarClan, how does everyone know but you?"

"You really don't know?" Addertail questioned, appearing just as surprised as his sister.

Getting irritated once more, Briarsong snapped, "No, I don't know. I have absolutely no idea what you two are saying that 'everyone knows', so explain to me!"

"Briarsong, come with me."

Turning from her friends, Briarsong saw her mother standing behind her. Judging by the deputy's expression, she guessed that it was something serious, and she felt herself deflate. Had she done something wrong? She mentally sighed as she gave the siblings a quick "see you later" and followed her mother to the medicine holder's hut. Why they were heading that way was questionable, and she became nervous when she saw that Sageblossom was waiting expectantly.

"What's wrong?" she asked once they'd reached the healer.

Sageblossom smiled warmly at her, "Briarsong, I believe that it's best for you to move into the nursery now."

Briarsong blinked; her expression blank as she failed to comprehend what Sageblossom was saying. Slowly, very slowly, she processed the words and let out a laugh. Did these two really think that she was pregnant?

"Seriously," she laughed, "Your jokes are good when you try!"

When she stopped laughing, Briarsong wasn't at all pleased to see both her mother and the healer looking serious.

"Briarsong, do you really not know?" Sootleaf asked gently.

Briarsong frowned, "You can't be serious, can you?"

Her mother gently soothed her hand over Briarsong's arm, looking at her with soft blue eyes, "Look at your belly, Briarsong. Look hard."

Obeying, Briarsong looked down at her abdomen and her eyes widened. She'd never noticed it before, but there was a slight bump in her lower midsection. Shakily, she raised her hand to feel her belly, poking at it gently. She had a small hope that it was just fat, but was horrified as she realized that it felt nothing like she'd hoped.

"Do you understand now?" Sageblossom asked softly.

Briarsong nodded numbly as her mind went into a panic. She couldn't be pregnant, she just couldn't! But this bump was here, and she'd definitely mated during her heat two moons prior. StarClan, she could still remember waking up to find herself in Ravenstrike's arms! But that would mean…

"No, no, no, no, no! Isn't it too early to see it? Can't it be something else?" she asked, looking to Sageblossom beseechingly, praying that the healer would say that it was some horrible, complex joke.

The woman shook her head, "No, dear, you're definitely pregnant. By the looks of it, I'd say you're carrying three, four, maybe even five kits."

 _Oh, great StarClan,_ Briarsong fretted, _they're all going to ask questions! They're going to know!_

To her surprise, however, the healer smiled at her. So did her mother. How were they not angry or demanding who the father was? Surely they'd think that something went on during her absence?

"A-aren't you going to ask?" she ventured cautiously.

Sootleaf quirked her brow, "Ask what?"

"W-who the f-father is…"

Hearing this, both of the older women began to laugh whole-heartedly. Briarsong just stood there, confused as ever, until they stopped. Sageblossom wore a warm expression as she spoke, "Everyone already knows, dear!"

"Yes," Sootleaf added, "We knew that something would happen when he left for a whole two days!"

Briarsong blinked, "Who?"

"Why, Addertail, of course!"

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: BLAM! There's the next chapter! It is now official that Briarsong got knocked up!**

 **Now I can peacefully cry since I'll be back in school on Monday! (T^T)**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Addertail, Flowerdusk, and Swiftfall all share the same mother: Poppyheart.**

 **Please throw your thoughts into that review button. Every review keeps my mind motivated, and my fingers typing!**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	8. Six: Hurt of Love

**=Ravenstrike=**

"What's wrong with you?"

Ravenstrike didn't acknowledge his brother's question. His mind was still steaming as he replayed the Gathering over-and-over inside of his head. The whole thing had been absolute torture for him, and he was now left wishing that he'd never agreed to attend.

He had happily, and foolishly, accepted when Duskleap offered him the chance to go the Gathering for the second moon in a row. His uncle had been visibly pleased, since Ravenstrike had been avoiding Gatherings like the plague for _three years_. In spite of that, Ravenstrike had been admittedly excited to go to the island, which he now wanted to punch himself for.

Upon arriving, however, he'd been greeted by the sight of a very familiar female surrounded by young men. He remembered freezing in his place when he spotted her. No matter how much he'd willed himself to get as far from her as possible, his legs just wouldn't budge. It was as if they'd taken root to the ground like a tree. So he had stood there like an idiot, just watching as the woman laughed at some type of joke.

Then they made the briefest eye-contact, and Ravenstrike's blood had run cold. She'd stared him down for a couple heartbeats before turning back to one of the men. In just those few seconds, Ravenstrike had felt all his previous excitement leave his body, with a cold, miserable feeling taking its place.

 _Dewflower_.

She was the reason for his sudden change in mood and behavior. Well, she was at least partially responsible. The beautiful ShadowClan warrior had stolen his heart when he was just eighteen. She was a year older than him, but she'd had no qualms about romancing a young ThunderClan male. In the year that they were together, Ravenstrike had given her his virginity, something that he regretted to this day. That short time had been one of the happiest periods of his life, and it had ended so abruptly that he was left blindsided.

In her words, Dewflower felt that an affair such as theirs was "far too risky" and that she could no longer see him. He'd been saddened, but took it well for a youngster. Then, at the very next Gathering, his heart had shattered upon seeing her acting _very_ friendly towards one of her clanmates. It was in that moment that he realized how awful women could be, and his temper rose out of seemingly nowhere. It was completely natural that he would avoid Gatherings from that moment on; for fear that he'd see her flirting again.

Fortunately, he had managed to get a hold of himself, and tried to remember why he'd agreed to attend. At the last Gathering, Briarsong hadn't been present, and he'd hoped to see her again. Two moons gave a man plenty of time to think some things through, and Ravenstrike had decided that he needed to speak with her again.

He still remembered how he'd woken up beside her, their naked bodies pressed together and the early sunlight drowning them into wakefulness. She'd been asleep, and had been using his arm as a place to rest her head. Ravenstrike hadn't minded, however, and he had been content to observe her in her slumber until she awoke. Briarsong may not have been as attention-grabbing in the face as some other women, but her hair had shone beautifully in the sunlight and the content smile on her sleeping face had given him the urge to kiss her. Ravenstrike hadn't even realized that he was moving in to do so before stopping himself. A good thing, too, since the woman had begun to stir only a few seconds later.

Much to his disappointment, Briarsong hadn't been present this time around either. However, his ears had perked up when Eaglestar mentioned her name.

" _Aside from the birth of Windstreak's kits, WindClan also has two new kit-bearers: Flowerdusk and Briarsong."_

His heart had skipped a beat as he'd processed the information. Then, he'd felt a strange warmth in his belly as he realized why Briarsong had stopped attending the Gatherings. She was pregnant, and with his kits! He also took note of the fact that only two moons had passed, and was pleased as he remembered that early showing meant three or four kits. Now, Ravenstrike new that he'd never be as nurturing as Copperwind was, but he figured that he could make a good father, if he had any parenting examples from his mother and father at all, which he did.

Then he noticed the congratulations being thrown around. The words were focused towards two young men, obviously WindClanners, and Ravenstrike had paused as he recognized one. The younger man, the red-head, was the same man that he'd often seen Briarsong with before they'd slept together. His mind had worked at the new information for a moment before his mood instantly soured, and he felt anger and hurt pool into his veins, which brought him to now.

He stormed into camp, successfully warding off any of his clanmates that stood in the way, and stalked into the warriors hut. He was fuming, but for once he felt more hurt than angry. The only thing that made sense was that Briarsong had mated with the red-headed warrior after he'd left to return to camp. He regretted that decision now. He'd been in a hurry at the time, and left her almost as soon as she'd woken up. He growled.

 _I should've stayed longer_ , he thought ruefully, _If I'd been there to guard her, she wouldn't have gone to him_.

Or would she? He had no actual claim to her, and he didn't love her, so what right did he have to be so territorial? Groaning at the headache he was developing, Ravenstrike pounded his fist into his nest the second he plopped down. He had no right to her except that he'd taken her virginity, which really didn't give him that much leverage.

"Ravenstrike!"

Losing his thoughts for a moment, Ravenstrike glanced up to see his brother entering. By the look on the older man's face, Ravenstrike could easily guess that Copperwind was going into his 'mother duck' mode.

"What's wrong? You've been tame for a whole two moons…I actually thought that you'd gone back to normal, but then you go right back to…to _this_!" Copperwind exclaimed, gesturing to his brother's current position.

Ravenstrike chuckled, "I'd think you'd be used to it by now."

Copperwind didn't seem impressed, marching over to him and sitting beside the younger male. "No, I'm not, and I never will be. Neither will Mother or Duskleap or Fennelfur…and I doubt that Father is very pleased watching you from the stars, either."

Ravenstrike chose not to respond, simply opting for glaring at the few stray feathers in his nest.

"I mean, you used to be so friendly and open, and you've been reduced to _this_ because of one woman?"

 _No_.

"I _tried_ to tell you…and when she left you, I saw the way you acted and figured that I'd worried over nothing and that you were strong enough. But then you saw her whoring around at the Gathering and lost yourself, and you're doing it _again_. I'm beginning to wonder whether you're really strong at all…"

Copperwind trailed off, his voice having been quiet towards the end. Ravenstrike had stiffened, and glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye. His littermate's eyes were downcast with obvious hopelessness filling them. Ravenstrike felt his own anger and hurt wane a bit at the sight. Copperwind had always been excellent at hiding any distress or sadness, but it was showing now. Of course, it was just like him to get so worked up over something like this.

"I just want to know what's going through your head," Copperwind continued after moments of quiet, "Then maybe I could help you."

He lifted his head and looked at Ravenstrike, who took note of the new fierceness taking place of what was once there, "So tell me what's wrong. Right now."

Ravenstrike stared at him for a moment. It was an open invitation to let all his emotions out. He knew well enough that Copperwind would never tell a soul, after all. But his pride got in the way, and Ravenstrike figured that a man should be able to work out his own problems without consulting his mother…or brother.

He shook his head, "I think I'll pass."

A second later, he lifted his hand to where Copperwind had slapped him. Surprised, Ravenstrike looked at his brother speechlessly. His littermate appeared more serious than he'd ever been, his eyes sharp and clearly pissed.

"Tell me what the _fuck_ is going on," he demanded slowly. Another surprise, since Copperwind was always careful about his language, since the man was often around impressionable kits. The fact that he used such a strong word only emphasized how serious the older man was.

Feeling his own anger returning with a vengeance, he growled at his brother, "Why in the name of StarClan should I tell you anything?"

"Maybe because I'm your _brother_?" Copperwind countered, obviously refusing to stand down.

"I wouldn't care if you were Father," Ravenstrike hissed, "I don't need to say anything to you."

For a moment, it looked as if Ravenstrike had won and that Copperwind seemed ready to storm out. But then the older man closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths before opening them again. Much to Ravenstrike's disappointment, the anger in his brother's eyes had cooled, and that meant that this would continue. StarClan curse Copperwind's anger management. Ravenstrike watched was his brother looked him over, and didn't like the look of realization in the man's eyes.

"You're not just upset over Dewflower, aren't you? No, you've seen her a couple times since you two parted, and you've never been _this_ terrible…so what is it?" Copperwind seemed to be asking himself more than he was asking Ravenstrike, much to the latter's annoyance. The older brother appeared to be observing him closely, and Ravenstrike warily acknowledged what this meant.

After muttering inaudibly for a few moments, Copperwind abruptly stopped leaning towards Ravenstrike, pulling back with wide eyes, "Don't tell me…You've done it again, haven't you?"

Ravenstrike glared at him, "Who's to say it's not one of our women?"

"Because you would be outside with her if it were," Copperwind maintained, "Oh, Silverpelt's stars, how could you do it _again_? After what happened last time—"

Ravenstrike snapped, "I know, alright?! It's not even that big of a deal; I don't love her like I did with Dewflower."

"What do you mean 'you don't love her'?" Copperwind questioned, appearing genuinely confused.

"It was a one-time thing . She was in heat, so I helped her. That's all," Ravenstrike confided, sighing as he felt some pressure leave his shoulders. The hurt of knowing what Briarsong had done was still fresh in his mind and his heart ached for an unknown reason.

Copperwind blinked, "When was this? Why didn't I ever smell another clan on you?"

"Because I came back smelling like blood from that doe I tackled," the younger brother explained. There was no real point in hiding that fact since they were now so deep in the matter.

"Wha…that was two moons ago!" Copperwind exclaimed. It seemed that the fellow warrior was shocked that he hadn't picked up on his brother's antics for so long. The thought would have amused Ravenstrike if it weren't for the current situation.

"Yeah, but it's done and over with now," Ravenstrike stated.

Copperwind's shock turned into worry, "Wait, you said that she was in heat, so she could be pregnant!"

Ravenstrike scowled, "She is. But they belong to another man."

"How do you know that?" Copperwind questioned, quirking his brow.

"Because she had sex with one of her own clanmates," Ravenstrike replied sourly, "And only StarClan knows how many times."

Copperwind disagreed, "It isn't uncommon for a woman to carry kits with two or more different fathers. Ravenstrike, you could be a father!"

Ravenstrike shook his head, feeling the pain in his heart returning, "I don't think so."

The two stayed in silence for a moment, and Ravenstrike could feel his brother's eyes on him. He knew that Copperwind was observing him again, but couldn't find himself caring. Maybe he should have sex with Bumbleheart or Dovetail again, just to soothe the ache in his chest. However, he knew that doing so only ever worked as a temporary solution, and he'd only ever see Briarsong in their place, which he absolutely did not need.

"You do love her," Copperwind whispered.

That caught Ravenstrike's attention, "What?"

Copperwind repeated himself, this time in a louder voice. Naturally, Ravenstrike's first reaction was to laugh, in spite of his current mood. The idea was preposterous, and borderline hilarious. Once his laughter died down, Ravenstrike saw Copperwind's serious expression and quickly mimicked the look.

"That's ridiculous, Copperwind, I've only ever met her three times," he stated in an unimpressed tone.

"And I only met Fennelfur twice before bringing her here. Love isn't limited to encounters; it's there from an instant. It just takes time to acknowledge it," Copperwind said pointedly, like the hopeless romantic that he was.

Ravenstrike snorted, "Right."

"I'm serious," the older man said, "You have the expression of a man in love, just hurt. But I suppose you'll have to realize it yourself."

"I _don't_ love that woman, understand?" Ravenstrike denied. His brother's notion was absurd, and Ravenstrike refused to believe that he could have possibly fallen for a woman after meeting her only three times. With Dewflower, he'd had to meet her at five Gatherings before beginning to meet her secretly. Even then, it had taken him half a moon to completely fall in love.

Copperwind didn't seem to believe him even a little bit, and he stood, moving towards the entrance of the hut. "I have to check up on Fennelfur and the kits, so you're on your own until morning. You might want to get some rest so that we can take Dawnpaw and Hazelpaw out tomorrow. I also suggest that you think over your love for this woman."

"I _don't_ love her," Ravenstrike snapped, irritated by how easily his brother had managed to turn the conversation away and go about his business.

"Of course," Copperwind said, his face going solemn, "Just be careful."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Phew~! There's chapter six!**

 **Make sure to review your thoughts, questions, etc. There are no taboo reviews aside from flames, so tell me what you think! Also, I have a poll set up on my profile that changes at least once a month, so please check it out and vote!**

 **I have also recently opened up an account on Fictionpress, which I will be using to upload original stories. Feel free to take a look; the link is on my profile! If you don't feel like going to the link, my username is Strain!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Ravenstrike is named after his father, Ravenwing.**

 **I'm still working out the name of one of Ravenstrike and Briarsong's kits, so please choose on the poll.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	9. Seven: For an Apple

**~Briarsong~**

Being pregnant wasn't too terrible. Sure, there was the occasional dizziness and nausea that she detested, but it wasn't all that bad. Briarsong figured that she would be able to enjoy her pregnancy if it weren't for the fact that she was carrying ThunderClan kits. Sometimes she'd be relaxing when she remembered her babies' sire, suddenly feeling an inner panic all over again.

The only reason that she wasn't being questioned and possibly scorned was because of Addertail. The man knew that he wasn't the father of her kits, but he was more than willing to accept the assumption. He didn't ask questions, much to Briarsong's relief, and he acted the part of an expectant father as if he really was one. Briarsong was thankful to him beyond anything, and she let him know it.

"Briarsong? Are you asleep?"

Opening her eyes, Briarsong left her thoughts behind as she was met by Flowerdusk's familiar face. The woman smiled brightly, lighting up her beautiful face. Giving a little stretch, Briarsong sat up from where she lay on her side and asked Flowerdusk what she needed.

"Oh! Raventail just brought us our night-meal," the pretty woman informed. She shoved some meat under Briarsong's nose. An involuntary sniff told her that it was rabbit, and she felt moisture pool into her mouth as her belly growled from the scent. Flowerdusk laughed.

"Hungry, huh?" she asked rhetorically, handing the meat over to Briarsong.

After taking her first bite, letting the flavor spread over her tongue, "Where's Addertail?"

The man was usually present in the nursery around this time. Whether it was to entertain the kits or place his hands all over Briarsong and Flowerdusk's abdomens, he was normally there. Though Briarsong hadn't noticed it immediately, she realized that she had not seen him since sunhigh.

"Oh, he's been busy with repairing the apprentices hut," Flowerdusk explained, "The wind always gets stronger in leaf-fall, and one of the walls got a decent beating. Though, he went on patrol just before I woke you. That reminds me; he said that he'd bring back an apple or two for you, since you've been craving them."

That she was. Since the moment Briarsong hit her third month of pregnancy, she'd wanted to eat apples every moment of the day. Just thinking about them made her night-meal slightly less appetizing as she imagined biting into the delicious fruit. A sudden feeling of pressure on her belly made Briarsong's fantasy dissipate, and she looked down to see that Flowerdusk had laid one hand on her middle. A fond smile adorned the older woman's face.

"Just think, Briarsong," she said happily, "You'll be a mother in just six moons. I'll have had my kits by that time, and then I get to be an aunt!"

Briarsong did her best to give a convincing smile in response. She knew that she was failing, as she'd never been as good at trickery as Smokeclaw was, but she tried. Hearing those words from Flowerdusk made her wish with all her heart that the last part of what she'd said was true. But it wasn't.

Flowerdusk's smile faltered as she seemed to notice Briarsong's expression, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy?"

Thinking quickly, Briarsong responded, "Of course! I'm just…well, I'm a little nervous, you know?"

"Nervous?" Flowerdusk asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Yes," Briarsong admitted, "Will I be a good mother? Will my kits like me? What if my milk doesn't come? That sort of thing."

She wasn't lying. Briarsong was an inner wreck whenever she thought of her kits. She wondered over-and-over whether she'd be any good as a mother, and if her kits would be sick or something when they were born. Most of all, she was terrified of the thought that her babies might look like their true father. She could only pray that they'd take after her in appearance.

Flowerdusk gave her a reassuring smile, "I have those kinds of thoughts too, you know. I think every queen does at some point in their pregnancy. But I'm sure that if anyone is qualified to be a mother, it's you."

"Huh?" Briarsong questioned in confusion. How was she any more qualified than other women? She was young, and had broken the code. If anything, she was less than qualified.

"You're more strong-willed than anyone I know, just like Sootleaf; and you're exceptionally kind and sweet-hearted," Flowerdusk explained, "You'll be a fine mother."

Briarsong felt her face heat up from her friend's words. She wasn't used to such compliments, and honestly felt that Flowerdusk was exaggerating a little. No one was as strong-minded as Sootleaf.

"Well, you'll be great too," Briarsong said, "You're the most understanding woman I've met, and you always use your head. I'm sure your kits will love you."

Hearing this, Flowerdusk bore a bright smile, "Let's both do our best, alright?"

Briarsong nodded in agreement. She would do her absolute best for her kits. Perhaps some women would resent their babies if they were the product of code-breaking, but Briarsong had never even considered doing so. With her reasoning, it wasn't her kits' faults that they were conceived. Briarsong was willing to bear that burden, but she never thought she'd be able to hate her children. With that in mind, she wanted to love and protect them as much as possible. She just hoped that she wouldn't see Ravenstrike whenever she looked at them.

Her thoughts were jarred by the sudden hubbub outside of the nursery. Briarsong jumped as she heard her clanmates shouting, though she couldn't make out any specific words. Flowerdusk turned towards the exit, and Briarsong noticed that Windstreak had sat up from her previously napping state. Beside her, Deerleap hushed Alderkit and Fawnkit.

"What's going on?" Windstreak asked as she abandoned her sleepiness. Her kits squirmed around her, and Cloverkit let out an audible squeal when her mother shifted. Windstreak was quick to soothe her kits while still eyeing the exit.

"Not sure," Flowerdusk replied, placing a hand on her belly as she moved to stand, "But I'll go check."

"I'll come with you," Briarsong offered, hurrying to her feet as her friend began to leave. Flowerdusk turned towards her with an uncertain expression, and Briarsong instantly figured that the older woman was going to question whether that was a good idea or not.

"No arguing," Briarsong said firmly, "I'm just as big as you, so don't go thinking that it might be dangerous for me."

"Perhaps you should both stay while I take a look?" Deerleap suggested. However, Fawnkit immediately latched onto her leg when she tried to stand, and Alderkit let out a cry. Deerleap looked down at them and sighed.

Flowerdusk offered her a smile, "You stay. I'm sure it's nothing too serious, or we'd have guards outside right now."

Briarsong thought about this and realized that it was indeed true, and she followed Flowerdusk with a little less worry in her heart. Once she exited the nursery, she saw that a small group had gathered around the medicine hut. A mixture of concern and a morbid curiosity filled her, and she hurried towards Swiftfall and Smokeclaw once she spotted them. Swiftfall had her arms wrapped securely around her partner.

"Hey, what's all the fuss about?" she asked once she reached them. She was surprised to see tears in Swiftfall's eyes when the younger girl released Smokeclaw.

"It's Addertail," she said with a sniff.

Apparently, Flowerdusk had opted to follow Briarsong's lead, as she heard the woman exclaim, "What?"

Swiftfall's lip quivered, "We were on our way back from the patrol, and he went to get some apples for Briarsong, and…"

The young warrior cut herself off with a sob. Briarsong wasn't sure how to react, since she'd never seen Swiftfall act in such a way. Even when she was a kit, the girl knew how to remain calm in stressful situations. Yet there was genuine dread and concern in the girl's eyes.

Smokeclaw wrapped his arms around Swiftfall, murmuring softly into her ear until she calmed down a bit. While she took a few deep breaths, Smokeclaw looked up at Briarsong and Flowerdusk, "Addertail ran into a couple dogs while fetching the apples. They were big ones, too, and they managed to mess him up quite a bit before we got to him. One of them bit Pantherpaw, but he'll be okay. No one's too sure about Addertail, though…he got a nasty bite on the neck."

"So he's alive?" Flowerdusk pressed. Her voice sounded strained, and Briarsong supposed that she was fighting the urge to start crying.

Smokeclaw nodded, but didn't speak as he went to back soothing Swiftfall. The woman had begun to hiccup with all the few tears that rolled down her cheeks. Flowerdusk was quiet, though Briarsong could smell the fear-scent rolling off of her. Both sisters were obviously begging StarClan not to take their older brother away. Strangely enough, Briarsong didn't feel any distress or fear. In fact, she couldn't feel anything at the moment.

Turning towards the medicine hut, she asked, "Is Poppyheart in there with him?"

"Yeah," Smokeclaw confirmed, "She practically forced her way in."

"Well, then I'm going to see him, too," Briarsong decided. She didn't wait for a reply as she immediately began walking towards the medicine hut. By now, the small crowd had lessened to only a couple warriors outside, talking about the recent events. Hawktalon looked up at Briarsong, giving her a nod while Raventail quirked his brow.

"Flowerdusk might need you," Briarsong said to the latter. Without a word, Raventail stood and made his way to where his mate stood. Seeing him go, Briarsong turned and entered the medicine hut.

Lightpaw looked up at her, and Briarsong saw that he was busy cleaning Pantherpaw's bite-wound. The younger boy shuddered with pain as the blood was cleaned from his arm. Lightpaw quickly turned back to his work after giving Briarsong a sympathetic look. It made her feel a twinge of fear as she continued to where Sageblossom knelt beside Addertail. Poppyheart on the other side of her son, tears streaming down her face as she silently cried.

Briarsong figured that they hadn't noticed her entering, and cleared her throat to catch their attention. Sageblossom looked at her over her shoulder and smiled half-heartedly, "Here to see Addertail, are we?"

"Yes," Briarsong replied, shifting as she began to feel dread tugging at her belly. It seemed that her emotions had finally caught up to her, she reasoned.

The medicine holder gave her attention back to her patient, "Well, you might want to wait until tomorrow. The man's going to lose consciousness again, I suppose; and he's not as pretty as he usually is."

"I don't care," Briarsong stated truthfully. She had made up her mind to visit Addertail. If this might be her last chance to see him alive, then she was taking it. They weren't mates like everyone had assumed, but she still loved him as a close friend that she could depend on. Whether he looked grotesque or not wouldn't change her mind. After all, he'd done so much for her in the past moon.

Poppyheart finally looked up from her son; her eyes red and teary as she took in the sight of Briarsong and smiled, "Let her see him, Sageblossom. She's my son's mate, after all."

Briarsong didn't give away any sign of challenging that statement, knowing well enough that it was a terrible idea to do so. Sageblossom stayed silent for a moment as she thought the idea over before nodding, "Come on then."

Hurriedly, Briarsong came to sit at her friend's side. She felt a pang in her heart as she took in his condition. The wound on his neck had obviously been the first priority, as it was already cleaned and dressed. But blood was still being washed off of his skin. Its scent permeated the air; metallic and dreadful. There was a lot of it on his upper chest, as well as on his arms where he'd tried to defend himself. She winced at the sight the raw, pink flesh that stood out where the dogs had bitten him. He would carry the scars for the rest of his life, she realized, if he survived the night.

The warrior's eyes were open, and Briarsong noted the cloudy look in them. He was definitely going to pass out soon, just as Sageblossom had said.

Briarsong jumped when she felt a hand grasp hers. Looking down, she saw that Addertail had grabbed onto her. His hand was just as bloody as the rest of him, and red smeared over her skin. It was sticky and still warm to the touch. Briarsong didn't mind the blood, but she felt tears welling up and she let out a quiet, strangled sob. Perhaps Sageblossom had been right, because seeing the warrior like this was just too much to bear.

A ragged breath caught her attention, and she blinked away her tears to see that Addertail's eyes were on her. He was straining to sit up it seemed, as he tried and failed to lift himself off the ground.

Sageblossom pressed gently on his chest, "Don't push yourself. You're already hurt enough, and the blood has only just stopped flowing."

Addertail complied and lay still, but his eyes stayed on Briarsong. He was in obvious pain, but there was a determined light in his green eyes. After taking a few tired breaths, he spoke.

"You know…you're not pretty when you cry," he commented.

Briarsong's eyes widened, but she caught on and choked out, "Well, you're not pretty when you're covered in blood."

Addertail gave a smile, wincing as the action moved a cut on his cheek, "Is that so? I hope you aren't too repulsed."

"No, I'm not," Briarsong assured him.

"Is…is it bad?" the man asked between breaths. He couldn't see the extent of his injuries, but he sure seemed to be able to feel them.

Briarsong gave a moment's hesitation before replying, "Very."

"Mm," Addertail sighed. He stayed quiet for a few heartbeats, save for his difficult breathing. Without warning, he moved his arm and nudged his mother.

"Huh? What is it, baby?" Poppyheart asked, leaning over him.

"The apple…should be around here," her son said, "Give it to Briarsong."

Briarsong blinked in confusion, watching as Poppyheart immediately began searching around the hut for the fruit. An apple? Why in Silverpelt was he concerned about an apple? And why did she need to have it?

"Ah, here it is," Poppyheart said, hurrying back to the trio and passing the apple to Briarsong. It was large enough to fill one hand, and its red skin was slightly bruised.

Addertail gave another ragged breath, "I could only hold onto one…sorry."

Briarsong stared at the apple for a moment. Remembering what had gotten Addertail injured, she angrily slammed it onto the ground, though not even a little juice leaked out. Addertail's eyes widened slightly as Briarsong did this.

"I don't care about the apple! Why did you even try to get it? The cravings would have passed, you know! You…you're hurt all because of a stupid apple! And…and it's my fault…you might die, and…StarClan, I'm so sorry."

Briarsong couldn't stop the tears and flowed freely down her face. She was a mess and she knew it. But she didn't care. It really was her fault that Addertail was going to die. If she hadn't spoken about her cravings, the stupid man wouldn't have gone and attempted to get the apples for her. Was this a punishment? Maybe StarClan was angry with her for mating with Ravenstrike. Yes, that must be it. Now they were taking Addertail because of her insolence. But he hadn't done anything wrong, he was just helping her!

"Briarsong," Addertail said quietly, "Don't go blaming yourself. It…it was my choice, got it? And don't assume that I'll….Just don't think about that. Please, I don't like it when you cry."

He was pleading with her now, a desperate glint in showing in his eyes. Briarsong saw this and mentally slapped herself for breaking down. She willed herself to calm down. It was the least she could do for him now.

"There…that's better. I don't want you to be upset, okay? Only be happy," Addertail told her.

Briarsong gave him a look, "How am I supposed to be happy when you're like this?"

The warrior gave her another smile, his eyes glowing in spite of his pain, "Times like this are like a beehive. You gotta remember that there's always honey once you get passed the stings.

This confused Briarsong, and she was about to question him when Sageblossom intervened. The woman had gone to get more supplies while the two talked, and it seemed that Poppyheart had helped her. The woman's hands were filled with various herbs.

"Addertail needs to rest if he's going to have any hope of healing," the medicine holder said, "And you need to relax. It's not good for the kits if their mother is stressed."

Briarsong wanted to stay. But she was absolutely right, and Addertail certainly looked like he was going to lose consciousness at any moment. Reluctantly, she nodded and prepared to leave. Before she could stand, however, she felt a tight squeeze on her hand. Instantly, she looked up to Addertail's face.

His eyes were closed.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Ugh, it's hard for me to pair Briarsong with Ravenstrike when Addertail is such an absolute cinnamon roll. Still, they are meant for each other.**

 **Just a head's up, the story isn't going to slowly progress Briarsong's pregnancy, so be prepared to time-skips. The real action is creeping closer.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Briarsong was impregnated in late April, which means that the story is set in July for this chapter.**

 **I am changing the poll once more. The winning vote of the previous poll was the name 'Ravenkit'!**

 **Please remember to review. As you may be able to tell, I am a slut for reviews (figuratively). Seriously though, they do keep me motivated, and I am really grateful to those of you guys that** _ **do**_ **actually review. Every time I see a new review, my day brightens up a little. So thank you. :)**


	10. Eight: To Be Prey

**=Ravenstrike=**

One moon had passed since the Gathering, and Ravenstrike was still in his mood. It wasn't that he _liked_ being so damn angry all the time, but he couldn't help the temper that flared within him every time he thought of Briarsong. Or rather, every time he thought of how she must have gone back to her clan, only to let that red-head breed her.

In the course of the week, however, it seemed that his family was doing everything in their power to keep him busy. He wasn't stupid, after all. He'd noticed how Duskleap was always sending him out on patrol or asking him to do some type of repair, while his brother routinely suggested training Dawnpaw with Hazelpaw, whom had become Ravenstrike's apprentice. Then there was Berryspring. Ravenstrike loved his mother to bits, he really did; but she was wearing his already thin patience down to dust.

It seemed that the senior warrior decided that Ravenstrike needed a mate, now that Copperwind was completely settled into the role of a dedicated father. She'd constantly bring up the subject, usually pointing out good qualities in the young females of ThunderClan. Berryspring obviously hoped that her second-born would take a fancy to one of the girls and leave his bachelor status behind. Unfortunately, Ravenstrike had no interest what-so-ever in ThunderClan women. Not with his mind reeling over Briarsong, at least.

Shaking his head in frustration, Ravenstrike turned his attention back to Hazelpaw. The young girl was practicing her climbing, and wasn't doing so well. Dawnpaw was a good three fox-lengths above her, and steadily climbing on. But Hazelpaw was hesitating with each move she made, testing every branch before placing a hand or foot on it. It was almost humorous, since Hazelpaw was always filled with fire in her heart, but was nervous when it came to heights. Well, most apprentices were the same way when they first started climbing.

"Hey, quit being scared," Ravenstrike snapped, realizing too late that his tone was harsher than he'd wanted it to be. The damage was done, however, and Hazelpaw turned her head to look at him with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not scared!" she said with a pout.

Ravenstrike shot her a bitter smirk, "Well, you could have fooled me. You act as if the whole damn tree is gonna collapse if you so much as tear a leaf!"

Copperwind swatted at him, "Don't be so rash!"

Ravenstrike ignored his brother, keeping his eyes on Hazelpaw. The girl looked like she was trying to set him on fire with her eyes. She lashed her tail and hissed, "I'm not! Just watch me!"

With that, the girl turned back to the tree and began moving at a much faster pace. She was still slower than Dawnpaw, but she didn't hesitate to put her weight on a branch. Hazelpaw danced between branches, often choosing the thicker ones as she made her way up, her small muscles flexing with each movement. Her tail continued to lash all the way.

Satisfied, Ravenstrike watched his apprentice's progress. It'd be a while before she could move as swiftly as Dawnpaw, and an even longer while before she could descend with as much ease, but he had time. For the next six years, he'd be bringing her up as a warrior of ThunderClan. With Hazelpaw's fiery personality, he realized that it was going to be a long six years.

"You know, there's a reason for why I asked Oakstar to assign you as her mentor," Copperwind said, still watching the two apprentices like a hawk. Figures he'd do that, since Dawnpaw was his charge and Hazelpaw was his adopted daughter.

Ravenstrike snorted, "Why; to have the brat kill me by pissing me off?"

Copperwind gave him a look, " _No_. You two are perfect for each other. Your temperament is just as low as hers. You two should be able to understand each other and learn your own limits; that is, if you don't kill each other first."

"Tch, that brat isn't anything like me. You should know that as her father and my brother," Ravenstrike said with a scoff.

"So you don't like her?" Copperwind inquired, giving him a sideways glance.

Ravenstrike paused, "No, I don't hate the brat, if that's what you're saying. What I hate is her attitude."

"Like I said, she's just like you," Copperwind said pointedly, "She needs you to teach her some control, and you need to learn how to be patient."

"I don't need to learn shit," Ravenstrike snapped with a growl, pulling back his lips as he processed what his brother had said. Who in StarClan's name was Copperwind to decide something like that?

Copperwind blinked at him calmly, "You do. You just don't realize it yet."

Ravenstrike growled again, but didn't say anything. Instead, he looked back up at the tree, and saw that Dawnpaw was coming back down. Hazelpaw was following, albeit at a slower pace. Crossing his arms, Ravenstrike watched them as he tapped his foot on the ground impatiently. Suddenly, Hazelpaw looked up from where she'd been focusing on her descent.

A spark of confusion and annoyance entered Ravenstrike, and he shouted up at her, "What are you looking at? Focus on getting down, dammit!"

Hazelpaw looked down at them, and Ravenstrike could see fear on her face even though she was so high up. Dawnpaw was close to the ground, and seemed just as confused as the adults.

"What is it, Hazelpaw?" Copperwind asked in a concerned tone.

Before the girl could answer, they all heard it. The sound of barking reached their ears, and Ravenstrike felt his tail bristle as he heard dogs racing towards them. There had to be at least four, he guessed, and they were large depending on the amount of sound they made as they ran. Copperwind acted first, quickly grabbing Dawnpaw and pulling her to the ground.

"Why don't you have her climb?" Ravenstrike asked.

"The tree's not tall enough!" Copperwind retorted. The man was in obvious flight mode, as he held Dawnpaw under one arm and looked up at Hazelpaw, "Get down!"

Hazelpaw's eyes were on them, but she seemed completely frozen in the tree. Her tail bristled with fear and her ears remained tilted towards the steadily approaching dogs. Ravenstrike realized that the canines were going to arrive fast, and they'd likely go straight for the camp if they weren't held off. He turned to Copperwind.

"Run to camp and warn them," he urged.

Copperwind looked at him as if he were crazy, "And leave you two?"

"Dammit, Copperwind, there's no time! Run to camp and warn everyone. Get Oakstar to send help," Ravenstrike snapped, grabbing his brother's shoulder and shoving him in the direction of the camp. Copperwind seemed to get the message, as he gave Ravenstrike one quick glance before nodding and racing off.

"Copperwind!" Hazelpaw cried, watching as her adoptive father sped away.

Ravenstrike wasn't going to waste time on assuring his apprentice. He lifted himself into the tree and hurriedly climbed up to meet her. The girl stared at him with wide eyes, and was about to say something when Ravenstrike grabbed onto her arm and yanked her from the tree, allowing himself to fall out of it. Hazelpaw shrieked in terror as they hit the ground, with Ravenstrike having used his body to break her fall. He'd worry about any possible injuries later, he decided absently. Quickly, he jumped to his feet. He swung Hazelpaw onto his back before bolting.

The dogs were far too close for comfort, and Ravenstrike could clearly hear them as they trampled undergrowth in their hunt. He wondered if this was what it felt like to be prey. Hazelpaw's arms were on each side of his neck, her sharp nails digging into his chest as she clung to him for dear life. His heart was pounding in his chest and his lungs ached from the exertion of his sprint. The dogs were getting closer, and Ravenstrike guessed that they had caught the scent of neko. The large canines had now begun to chase them, he knew that much just depending on how their paws pounded the earth.

Hazelpaw let out a high-pitched squeak of terror, and her mouth happened to be directly next to his right ear. The sound hurt, but Ravenstrike couldn't care less at the time. He stupidly glanced back, and saw that one of the dogs was now about five fox-lengths away and gaining on them. Its shaggy, off-white coat pressed to its skin as the dog ran. Its tongue hung from its jaws, and its eyes glittered as it focused on the prey before it. What caught Ravenstrike's attention, however, was the red coloration around its muzzle. Just as he noticed it, his foot hit a tree's root and he tripped, falling face-first.

His body hit the ground hard, knocking the wind from his lungs. Ravenstrike gasped from the fall, and he heard Hazelpaw scream bloody murder. Without thinking, he pulled the girl from his back and forced her to the ground, placing his own body over hers as a shield. He closed his eyes in preparation just as the dog reached them, and he hissed as the beast clamped its jaws on his tail. It pulled eagerly, and Ravenstrike turned his head to snarl at it, but refused to move from above his apprentice. He felt the fur being pulled from his tail, and the skin beneath it being torn. The dog seemed to be excited by the scent of blood and fear, beginning to yank even harder on Ravenstrike's tail. Was the damn dog trying to pull his tail off? That was most likely so. Still, Ravenstrike's hands and knees remained planted to the ground, and he wouldn't let Hazelpaw be harmed.

The other dogs were catching up, and Ravenstrike saw two of them racing forward. He hissed in warning, despite knowing that it'd do no good. The two dogs, one rust-colored and one golden, were larger than the shaggy one. It was only now that Ravenstrike realized that he might very well die, and so would Hazelpaw if help didn't arrive fast enough. Dammit, where was Copperwind?

"Ravenstrike!"

With his eyes widening, Ravenstrike looked up to see a group of his clanmates rushing over. Hawkspeck was ahead of the rest, his face showing a mixture of horror and fury. In all honesty, Ravenstrike never felt more relieved than when he recognized the expression. The dog noticed the group as well, letting go of Ravenstrike's tail and barking as if excited. The other dogs halted, and seemed to be re-thinking their choice in prey. By that time, the rescue patrol had reached Ravenstrike and Hazelpaw, and the last dog came bolting into view at the same time.

Hawkspeck grabbed Ravenstrike's arm and yanked him up without any hesitation. The dog growled and got ready to jump at them, but Darkwater and Snakestrike were quick to attack it first. The surprised yelps were more satisfying than they should have been.

"Thunderstrike and Moonspot, get these two back to camp," Hawkspeck barked, nudging Ravenstrike towards the former, "And the rest of you, get those dogs out of our territory!"

Ravenstrike watched as his clanmates charged towards the other dogs, fully prepared to risk injury for the sake of ThunderClan. He saw Moonspot hurriedly pluck up a still-terrified Hazelpaw, and felt Thunderstrike urging him to walk. However, Ravenstrike felt darkness creeping over his vision, and his mind became muddled.

 _Guess I overdid it,_ he figured as he lost consciousness.

* * *

"Hush, he's waking up!"

"Mmph," Ravenstrike groaned as he returned to the waking world. His head was throbbing with pain, and the light of day hurt his eyes. Still, he groggily turned his head to where Cedarnose crouched next to him. The older man smiled at him.

"About time you woke up," he said, "Your brother been pacing around more than your mother! And Hawkspeck seems pretty concerned, too."

 _That's not surprising_ , Ravenstrike thought. Such behavior was normal for Copperwind, and Ravenstrike had always shared a bond with his former mentor.

"Are you in any pain?" Cedarnose asked gently.

"My head hurts like a bitch," Ravenstrike grumbled. The medicine holder, who normally hated vulgarism, gave a relieved smile in response.

"I'm glad that you're the same as always. If it's just your head, then I can get you a couple poppy seeds. Besides, you'll need more rest."

Ravenstrike mumbled a 'thank you', and Cedarnose turned to ask Applepaw for the desired seeds. As the apprentice searched, Berryspring peeked in. The woman's face went from concerned to elated in less than a heartbeat, and she hurried to her son's side.

"Oh, honey, how are you? Are you hurting? Are you hungry? Are you—"

"Mother, my head is killing my sorry ass right now, so please do me a favor and stop asking questions," Ravenstrike snapped. However, he saw the hurt on his mother's face and immediately added, "Thanks for the concern, but I'm mostly fine."

Berryspring's face softened, "Good to know that you haven't lost any memory, honey. I'd honestly be more worried if you sat up and started being polite for once."

"Haha," Ravenstrike said dryly, lying back down as his head gave another aching throb. He took the chance to observe his injuries, and saw poultice on his chest. Vaguely, he remembered how Hazelpaw had clung to him and figured that she tore his skin without him noticing. His tail was in a similar position, with gooey ointment spread over the areas where fur was missing. He sighed, knowing that his tail would be patchy until his fur grew back in.

"Your back is cut up pretty bad, too," Cedarnose said as he returned to his patient's side. Ravenstrike raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement. He guessed such cuts had resulted from the fall from the tree. Groaning, he laid back once more.

Berryspring brushed her fingers across his cheek, and Ravenstrike felt comforted by the gesture. His mother had done the same thing when he was younger, and for a moment he was a kit again. The idea was ridiculous, since he was nearly a foot taller than Berryspring now, as well as broader and far more muscular. If such a circumstance came, he'd easily be able to beat her in a fight. Of course, Ravenstrike would sooner slam his own face into a rock than lay a hand on the woman that gave him life.

"Why don't you get some sleep, honey?" Berryspring suggested gently. Ravenstrike only groaned in response, gratefully swallowing the poppy seeds that had been offered.

"When you wake up, we can talk about how Snowflower was worried about you. She asked a lot of questions, you know. At least, a lot for someone as quiet as her," Berryspring said cheerfully.

Ravenstrike grimaced, suddenly wishing that he had been unconscious longer.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: For anyone who's asking, it was the ThunderClan group that chased the dogs to WindClan. So, yeah, they are unintentionally responsible for Addertail's injuries. :'D**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Ravenstrike is right-handed, and Copperwind is left-handed. Addertail, however, is ambidextrous.**

 **I will be on holiday vacation starting tomorrow (Hallelujah)! That means I'll be able to focus on the story a bit more, and get the first chapter up on** _ **"Path"**_ **. I know that it's taking a while, but that story will certainly continue!**

 **Oh, and this has nothing to do with the story, but I am hyped up for Friday! I'm going to watch** _ **"The Outsiders"**_ **, which is a book that I absolutely love! Johnny and Ponyboy are such cinnamon rolls!**

 **Happy Holidays~!**

 **\- Tina**


	11. Nine: Now They Know

**~Briarsong~**

Addertail didn't die. He did, however, get an infection in his neck-wound. Finding that out had nearly given Briarsong a heart attack, considering she knew that infections could kill, especially if they were in a vital place like the neck. But Sageblossom and Lightpaw had done their absolute best to bring him back to health. The two worked on the warrior for a solid two moons, carefully healing him and then helping him get into the swing of his duties once more.

Poppyheart had literally wept with joy when Addertail was able to safely walk once more. Swiftfall and Flowerdusk had both eagerly embraced their older brother, somehow managing to not break his ribs with how hard they had squeezed him. As for Briarsong, she was couldn't have been more relieved. Honestly, she didn't know how she'd get along if her friend died. That, plus she didn't know what effect such a thing would have on the future of her babies. But one moon later, she was certain that the fear would never become reality, having noticed that Addertail was perfectly healthy again.

Unfortunately, it seemed that WindClan could have no peace. Eaglestar, in spite of his age, was somehow losing it. At first, it wasn't too noticeable. But then he unexpectedly snapped at Hawktalon, whom had been his friend since they were kits. The leader had gone as far as slapping the warrior, thus bringing everyone's attention to his current state. In complete honesty, it scared Briarsong terribly.

"I wonder if he's really losing his mind," Flowerdusk commented absently. She was busily braiding Swiftfall's dark hair, which was awkward considering how large her belly had grown in the past three moons.

Swiftfall hummed, "I don't think so. Brightfire said that he's just stressed."

"I don't think stress warrants slapping your clanmate," Flowerdusk retorted, "And I'm sure that Eaglestar knows that…or at least, he did."

"Can we not talk about that?" Briarsong asked. She had opted to sit off to the side, watching Flowerdusk's hand movement quietly. While the fellow queen was indeed large, Briarsong felt two times her size. Sageblossom had confirmed that she was carrying at _least_ four kits, and the idea of such a number made the brunette's head spin. She hated to think of how huge she'd be in just three more moons.

"What else is there to talk about?" Flowerdusk questioned, glancing at Briarsong for an answer.

Briarsong shifted her legs to get more comfortable, "Well, Solo was spotted by RiverClan territory yesterday, wasn't he? That's pretty interesting, since he wasn't been seen in a while."

"Yeah," Swiftfall said, sitting up a bit, "He hasn't. But it's just like that barn-cat to disappear for a whole moon before popping up again. He's strange like that."

"Hmm, what do you think he came back for? He usually reappears whenever something is about to happen. The man's a bad omen in himself," Flowerdusk said, pulling her sister back into place.

Swiftfall swatted at Flowerdusk's knee, "Don't speak so badly about him!"

"Why? It's not like—oh," Flowerdusk said, looking up at Briarsong as she came to a realization. The woman's face turned apologetic, and she quickly spat out an 'I'm sorry'.

Briarsong narrowed her eyes. She knew exactly why the two were acting the way they were. Pretty much everyone believed that she was Solo's daughter, but Briarsong personally refused to believe it. There was no solid proof, and Sootleaf had never given a single sign of either fondness or anger towards Solo whenever she saw him. Briarsong wouldn't really mind if that was the truth, but she wasn't giving in without true evidence aside from green eyes and brown hair.

"It's fine," Briarsong said in spite of her thoughts.

"For the sake of everyone's good mood, I won't point out that your eyes are contradicting that statement. Besides, Addertail is coming," Flowerdusk said, using a free hand to point at the nursery's entrance. Briarsong perked her ears, and could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. They were irregular, which everyone had come to recognize as Addertail's slight limp.

A moment later, the warrior poked his head in and greeted them in a sing-song tone, "Hello, hello."

"Hey, brother!" Swiftfall said with a bright smile. She stood up, despite her braid not being finished, and gave the man a hug. Flowerdusk eyed the now-messy braid and sighed.

After being released, Addertail turned his attention to Briarsong. The softness in his eyes wasn't hidden at all, and Briarsong felt herself smile at the sight of it.

"Hi," she greeted.

Addertail gave a second 'hello' and seemed to brighten as he sat down beside her. Briarsong wasn't startled in the least bit by his abrupt action, since she was used to it by now. This had become a routine for her. Every day, Addertail would visit the nursery; whether it was to bring food, check up on the queens, or simply provide some company. He certainly seemed to have adapted to his position as an expectant father, despite not really being one.

"Can I touch you?" Addertail asked quietly. When she'd first heard the question, Briarsong had felt her face heat up, immediately assuming that he wanted to do something…lewd. But the warrior had caught on and quickly cleared up what he'd meant. Now, Briarsong simply nodded in consent.

Immediately, the red-head's hands were on her middle. Briarsong shivered slightly, noting how cold Addertail's palms were.

"Sorry," the warrior apologized, "It's getting chilly, you know?"

Briarsong nodded, allowing herself to relax as Addertail went on feeling her bump. His hands were large, as he was a large man, spanning out over her belly and seeking out any possible kicks. The kits had indeed started moving around, and had successfully frightened their mother the first time. Their movements were normally small, and felt like a fluttering butterfly inside of her. But occasionally, there would be a kick or sudden jerk that always managed to get Briarsong's attention. Sootleaf had been the first one to feel a kick aside from Briarsong, and she'd jokingly commented that the kits were feisty.

Thinking about it, Briarsong wondered if her kits were acting like Ravenstrike. From the few times she'd encountered him, she knew that he had a fire in him, though he showed it with rough actions. He had a temper, which Briarsong had been made aware of during their first meeting. She shuddered, remembering how he had pinned her down so forcefully. She'd thought of him as dangerous from that moment on…well, until they mated. Sure, Ravenstrike had been rough, but he proved to enjoy cuddling just as much as she did. StarClan, he'd even stayed with her through the night, though he claimed that he'd simply fallen asleep.

"How do you feel?" Addertail asked suddenly.

Briarsong glanced at him, "Huh?"

"How do you feel?" he repeated, nodding at the woman's abdomen.

"Oh," Briarsong said in realization. She glanced down at her distended belly before replying, "I feel _big_."

Addertail blinked at her before chuckling softly, "Is that all?"

"No. My legs are aching, I'm hungry, I'm tired, I've got to pee all the time, and I'm complaining too much, aren't I?" Briarsong asked, feeling her face redden once she realized how much talking she was doing. Normally, she wasn't one to be dramatic, but pregnancy sure could amplify a woman's need to complain.

"No, no," Addertail assured, "It's perfectly reasonable. You're the one carrying kits for nine months, after all."

"Well in that case, did I mention that I have that 'I-have-to-pee' feeling in my breasts?" the brunette questioned. Her breasts had swollen a bit recently, and Briarsong just wasn't used to the pressure that came with producing milk. Not to mention that a little bit of clear fluid would leak out every-now-and-then.

Swiftfall let out a little laugh, and Flowerdusk gave her a look, "You don't want this, Swiftfall. I suggest making Smokeclaw pull out unless you want to experience everything that Briarsong is talking about, because it's all too true."

Briarsong smiled as Swiftfall paled. The younger warrior looked absolutely horrified, "We are very responsible! Smokeclaw isn't ready to be a parent, and neither am I!"

"That won't stop you're belly from growing when you make one mistake," Flowerdusk said pointedly, clearly enjoying her sister's increasing horror.

Briarsong had focused on the last part of Flowerdusk's sentence, though unintentionally. She shot a quick glance at her belly, which Addertail was still roaming over, and was reminded of her own mistake six moons ago. She agreed with Flowerdusk, "She's right, you know."

Swiftfall gave Briarsong a confused look, "You mean that you and Addertail didn't plan this?"

 _I certainly didn't_ , Briarsong thought, _And I don't think Ravenstrike did either._

Addertail quickly replied, "No, but I'm personally happy about our situation. Briarsong?"

"Yeah, me too," Briarsong answered. She noted the tone of Addertail's voice and wondered if he was really being genuine. Of course, Addertail never lied unless necessary, but she had a hard time believing that he liked being put in this position. He'd be taking care of kits that weren't even his, and he knew it. That just didn't seem like something that anyone would be happy about in Briarsong's mind. She felt guilty.

"Well, that's good," Flowerdusk said, patting her belly, "Raventail almost looked like he was going to faint when he found out that I was expecting. But he's been dutiful this whole time."

"I saw that, you know. His face was paler than snow," Swiftfall commented before smirking at Addertail, "So, brother, how did you react?"

Briarsong felt herself panic. Maybe she should make up something for him? But then, she didn't really know about a believable reaction, considering she'd never seen one in all her eighteen years. She also felt guilty again, knowing that her friends would be lied to again in order to protect the safety of her kits. But would the two women really do anything to harm them if they knew?

"I was…happy," Addertail said slowly, "I was really happy for her. But I was also a bit disappointed."

That certainly caught some attention. Briarsong stared at him in complete confusion. Where was he getting this from? And how was he making it sound so true when Addertail was never an excellent liar.

"Disappointed? Why?" Flowerdusk asked, seeming just as confused as Briarsong felt.

Addertail shrugged, "I guess I thought we'd have more time before kits came into the picture. You know, to bond. But I guess StarClan had different plans that I don't even know a single thing about."

His eyes were glued to Briarsong's belly, but she could tell that he wasn't as happy as he'd been when he arrived. Was he referring to the fact that he didn't know the complete truth? That seemed to be the most likely problem, but it could be something else too. Yet it was unfair, Briarsong realized, for him not to be told what had occurred. Addertail had remained loyal for the past four moons, and fully deserved to know. Briarsong glanced at Flowerdusk and Swiftfall, guessing that they deserved to know, too. They had been just as supportive.

"Hey," Briarsong said quietly, "I think it's time I told you all something."

Her mind screamed at her to stop. Addertail looked up at her with wide eyes, obviously having caught on immediately. Briarsong wasn't completely sure that this was the right decision, but she couldn't help the guilt that was clawing at her insides. Besides, this was the best time for delivering the news, since Deerleap and Windstreak had taken their kits out for some fresh air.

"What's wrong, Briarsong?" Swiftfall asked tenderly, noticing the brunette's tone.

"About my kits," Briarsong said, not really knowing how to go about saying this, "They're not Addertail's."

Flowerdusk quirked her brow, "Of course they're Addertail's. Why would you say something like that?"

"They're not. He already knows," Briarsong said guiltily. She felt her hand being squeezed, and looked down to see that Addertail had taken hold of it. His eyes were hard, but he seemed to be supporting her. Briarsong squeezed back gratefully.

"Hold on," Swiftfall said, "This had better not be a joke, because it's a horrible one. But if you're being serious—"

"I am," Briarsong intervened, "They're not Addertail's."

"Then whose are they?" Swiftfall inquired.

Briarsong mumbled out the answer, feeling her already-low confidence draining away. Flowerdusk was having none of it, however, and pressed her for the answer to be repeated.

"A ThunderClanner's," Briarsong admitted. She shrank back when Addertail stopped stroking the back of her hand with him thumb, and her two friends gasped. Suddenly feeling panicked, Briarsong shut her eyes and prepared to be yelled at. Maybe they'd hate her, and they'd run to inform Eaglestar. Oh, what would Sootleaf do? She'd probably be disappointed, and wouldn't even want to see Briarsong again. Smokeclaw and Coalfoot would be the same, she figured.

Tears were building up, and Briarsong did her best not to cry but failed. She let out a small, shuddering breath as those tears overflowed and poured down her cheeks. Her face felt hot, and she personally felt like a complete idiot and a pitiful kit at once. Then she recognized the feeling of a hand on her back, rubbing in soothing circles while another worked on wiping away her tears. Cautiously, Briarsong opened her eyes.

"It's okay, Briarsong," Addertail said calmly, continuing his ministrations. Swiftfall and Flowerdusk still seemed shocked, but they weren't angry. The shock wore down, however, and Swiftfall hurried to join in soothing Briarsong. Flowerdusk was a little slower, but came anyway.

Once Briarsong calmed down, she realized how much of a kit she had acted like and sniffled, "I'm sorry."

"Briarsong, it's okay, just…just explain for us," Swiftfall urged gently.

Nodding, with her cheeks still wet, Briarsong went on to explain what had occurred. Of course, she left out the intimate details, but gave her friends the gist of what had happened. She was more than grateful for how calm the three were throughout her story, along with how understanding they were being. Sure, none of them had ever bred with anyone outside their clan, but they did their best to grasp what they were told. By the end of it, Briarsong was relieved when they agreed to keep her secret. But then Flowerdusk brought up one certain issue.

"What about your family, Briarsong? Aren't you going to tell them?"

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: So now Addertail, Flowerdusk, and Swiftfall know. It's a good thing that they're keeping the secret! But sh*t will go down next time.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Addertail has a permanent limp due to the dog attack.**

 **Also, Briarsong's father has already been introduced. You can all take a guess as to who it is. Hint: It's not Solo.**

 **Happy Holidays~!**

 **\- Tina**


	12. Ten: She's My Distraction

**=Ravenstrike=**

The next three moons had been a pain in the ass for Ravenstrike. Over that stretch of time, he had to put up with snickering apprentices, a pestering medicine holder, and an over-concerned brother. Honestly, he didn't mind the actual healing process, but if he heard one more comment about his tail, he was going to punch someone. His fur had grown back for the most part, but the new patches were shorter than the rest of his fur, causing a choppy appearance that irritated him to no end.

On the upside, as Copperwind called it, he had earned a bit more respect from Hazelpaw; emphasis on a _bit_. There probably would have been more if it weren't for the fact that Ravenstrike had snapped at his apprentice when she stepped on his tail during a visit. The young girl had gone from shocked to angry in a heartbeat and stomped out with Copperwind close behind, trying to calm his adoptive daughter.

Ravenstrike snorted at the memory. He still remembered the pain that had shot through him when his still-healing tail was stepped on. Just the thought of it made him want to growl at whoever came near the appendage.

"What are we doing today?" Hazelpaw inquired in a bored tone. Ravenstrike glanced down at her.

"Border patrol first," he replied, "Then hunting practice. You still need to figure out how to stay still."

Hazelpaw narrowed her eyes, looking up at him, "Berryspring said that you couldn't sit still for a second when you were an apprentice!"

"Yeah, well I grew up and learned how to," Ravenstrike retorted, making a mental note to keep his apprentice away from his mother for fear of other embarrassing comebacks in the future. He then brought his attention to Hawkspeck, whom was calmly approaching the gathered patrol with Shortpaw.

"You two are here before us," the senior warrior commented, "It must be a blue moon."

Ravenstrike nudged his former mentor, not at all pleased with the insinuation. Before he could grumble something out, Shortpaw piped up.

"Maybe you're just old. You did wake me up late," she said amusingly. Normally, the apprentice was quiet with a lack of presence, but she certainly opened up some more after being Hawkspeck's apprentice for almost six years. Ravenstrike knew that the man could crack anyone's shell.

Hawkspeck countered her in a good-natured tone, "I wouldn't have to wake you if you didn't sleep like a dormouse!"

Snakestrike intervened the conversation, "Hey, shouldn't we be going now? We're wasting dawn-light!"

"Right, right," Hawkspeck said, "We should be leaving now. Let's go."

Ravenstrike allowed the four others to go ahead of him, nudging Hazelpaw to get a move on after Shortpaw scurried passed. His apprentice didn't seem to appreciate being urged forward, but she carried on for the purpose of chatting with the older girl.

"WindClan border, right?" Snakestrike asked, directing the question towards Hawkspeck. The older man nodded.

"Darkbreeze is leading Mouseshade, Leopardtail, and Snowflower to the pines. I still think he should have taken Thunderstrike as well, since Lilyfall's developed a bit of a grudge against us. That, and Spottedclaw mentioned some delinquent rogues at the last Gathering."

"I'm sure they can handle a few rowdy teens, eh?" Snakestrike pointed out, giving Hawkspeck a nudge with his elbow. The two continued to talk, but Ravenstrike eventually drowned them out in favor of observing his home.

The leaves were losing their once vibrant-green coloration, turning various shades of orange, yellow, brown, and red. He noticed that the air was crisp and cool, too. It was somehow more satisfying that the warmed air of green-leaf that felt stuffy and uncomfortable in his lungs on the hottest days. Creatures of prey were attempting to fatten themselves up, but were becoming scarcer at the same time. Just a typical leaf-fall in the forest.

Suddenly, he found himself wondering what this season was like in WindClan. There were very few trees, so did the kits simply entertain themselves with browned grass rather than colorful, falling leaves? How did they shelter themselves from the chilly winds that would only get colder once leaf-bare arrived? What about their prey supply? Surely no creature would like to be caught on the moor at such a vulnerable time. Ravenstrike had seen WindClanners in leaf-bare, and honestly didn't know how they survived being so horribly skinny.

In that case, how in the name of StarClan were the helpless able to live? Leaf-bare for WindClan was the worst, judging by the announcements of various deaths at Gatherings; mainly that of elders and kits. A strike of dread hit Ravenstrike. Would Briarsong make it through the coming season? What about the kits that she was carrying? Given the time of her heat, they'd be born in the unforgiving leaf-bare, which was the worst season for having kits.

Not paying attention, Ravenstrike let out a shout when he stepped in a hole, barely managing to catch himself before falling. The cry caught some attention from his clanmates, and Hawkspeck gave him a concerned look.

"Are you alright, Ravenstrike? It isn't like you to be unaware of your surroundings," he commented.

Ravenstrike waved him off, feeling both embarrassed and stupid, "I'm fine."

"You sure? Because the last time you were distracted like this, you—"

"I said I'm fine!"

Hawkspeck's eyes widened at the outburst. Ravenstrike saw this and silently cursed at himself. Yeah, he'd been pissy lately, but he'd never yelled at his mentor before, even after Dewflower completely shattered his heart. Sighing, he looked up at the rest of the patrol.

"Just give me a moment, dammit," he said, "Go ahead. I'll catch up."

His former mentor hesitated, but eventually nodded to the others and started walking. Snakestrike and Shortpaw didn't need to be told again, and quickly followed the senior warrior. Hazelpaw, however, stayed behind and simply watched her mentor warily.

"What?" Ravenstrike snapped, yanking his foot from the hole.

Hazelpaw stood firm, "Are you sick?"

"Huh?"

"Are you sick?" she repeated, "You're really distracted, like Hawkspeck said."

Ravenstrike was confused for a moment, wondering how his apprentice had picked up on his behavior like Hawkspeck had. He needed a bit of time to think, he figured, then he'd be alright.

"I'm fine," he restated, trying his best to sound calm and convincing.

Hazelpaw stared at him for a long moment. Finally, she said, "Okay."

Without another word, the apprentice promptly hurried after her clanmates, leaving her mentor completely bewildered. Ravenstrike watched her go, and glanced back down at the hole, giving himself another curse.

He shouldn't have been thinking about Briarsong, or WindClan as a whole for that matter. There issues weren't his problem, and Briarsong was nothing to him. She was carrying pure WindClan kits, after all, so their fates and hers were not of his concern. Yet, he still found himself thinking about her every damn day, for six fucking moons. It was really beginning to piss him off, too.

Ravenstrike let out a growl, and urged himself to regain his cool composure. He wasn't sure how long he took, but it was a good while until he deemed himself calm enough to catch up to his clanmates without the danger of yelling at them. Satisfied with himself, he set off to find them. The task wasn't hard, since he knew the route like the back of his hand, and walked at a brisk pace until he caught sight of the patrol.

He didn't say anything as he approached, but was aware of his clanmates' odd behavior. He saw them gathered together at the stream, all looking like they were on high alert. Shortpaw's tail was puffed up as she hid partially behind Snakestrike. Hazelpaw's hands were twitching, and she looked prepared to fight. Hawkspeck stood at his full height, and Ravenstrike was able to make out his words as he continued forward.

"Why would Eaglestar do something like that?" Hawkspeck asked over the sound of the stream's flowing water.

"Your guess is as good as mine," a man replied, "We're just following his orders."

Ravenstrike was suddenly just as alert as his clanmates, and fastened his pace until he stood beside Hawkspeck. Once there, he saw that the speaker was a young WindClan male, with dark hair and clear, blue eyes. What caught his attention; however, were the two behind him. There was a tall, red-haired man with a cautious look about him, as if he expected an attack. And then there was the woman who had unknowingly tortured Ravenstrike for moons.

Briarsong, with a swollen belly and wide eyes, was just a few fox-lengths away.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: *slams this chapter down on a table* There you go, my dear readers! You'll have to wait until next time to find out just what the heck is going on! ;)**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Green is on the amber spectrum for cat eye color. (This is a hint for who Briarsong's father is)**

 **For those of you who have guessed who sired Briarsong, none of those guesses were correct. Sorry! Keep doing your best, though!**

 **Please remember to review, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	13. IMPORTANT

**Hello lovelies,**

 **For whatever reason, FF is not allowing me to view any new reviews that my stories have gotten within the past two days. So if you recently reviewed, I cannot see it and I'm not sure when I'll be able to. This has happened once before, and lasted a good five days, so I hope that this issue will disappear again. If it doesn't, I'll likely report the problem.**

 **As of now, just PM your reviews to me, since I can still see new messages. This especially goes for anyone that's requested a character/asked a question on** _ **"Blurred Drama Story"**_ **. Until I can view them, I obviously cannot create a new update.**

 **When or if this issue is resolved, I'll make an announcement to let you guys know. Thanks to taking the time to read this, since I know that you were likely hoping for an update. Rest assured,** _ **"Origin"**_ **and** _ **"Path"**_ **are okay to continue despite this problem, since their updates aren't affected by it.**

 **Thanks again,**

 **\- Tina**


	14. Eleven: This isn't Goodbye

**~Briarsong~**

Though it had been hard telling her closest friends about her unborn kits' true origins, Briarsong couldn't deny the feeling that the weight on her shoulders was lessened in doing so. Still, she hadn't told them explicitly who the father was. In her mind, it wasn't really necessary. Ravenstrike would probably never play a part in his children's lives, and revealing his identity would do nothing in the long run. Thankfully, none of the siblings had pushed her for such answers.

Of course, she'd been thinking about informing her family as well. But every time she thought about it, Briarsong felt her stomach twist and she knew that she couldn't do it. Something about letting her brothers and mother know made Briarsong feel sick. Just the thought of their reactions alone was enough to deter her. Knowing Coalfoot and Smokeclaw, Coalfoot might just snap at her while Smokeclaw wouldn't to her at all. Then there was Sootleaf. Oh StarClan, she didn't even want to think about that.

"Briarsong, are you okay?"

Pausing her hand-wringing, Briarsong looked up at Addertail. The red-head had come to the nursery for his usual visit and to let the kits climb all over him. Now, he gave her a concerned look with the little ones still crowding his tall form. He appeared almost comical with kits hanging off his broad shoulders and pouncing on his tail, though his expression is what stopped the whole scene from being as amusing as it should have been. Briarsong gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine," she said.

Naturally, however, Addertail detected her lie. He gently removed Alderkit from his shoulders, "Hey, why don't you two go find your mother? I'm sure she'd love to see your pouncing skills, Fawnkit. You're getting really good."

Fawnkit didn't hesitate in giving a small smile, and nodded as she plucked up her sister and scurried out of the nursery. That was one thing that Briarsong loved about Addertail; his ability to connect with kits so easily. Personally, Briarsong could only hope that she'd be able to do the same with her kits once they were born.

Addertail, now free of kits, moved himself over to Briarsong, sitting beside her with a questioning gaze, "What's the matter?"

Briarsong sighed, seeing no point in playing off her distress. Addertail could read her almost as well as Coalfoot, "I just don't know how I can tell my family. I mean, what if they hated me? Or stopped talking to me? StarClan, what if Mom disowns me? You know how serious she is about the code! I can't, Addertail, I just ca—"

"They're your family, Briarsong," Addertail stated, cutting her off effectively. His eyes were still concerned, but his mouth was now in a firm line, "They deserve to know about their kin. Plus, do you really think that they'd abandon you like that?"

Briarsong opened her mouth, and a sob slipped out as she spoke, "Who knows?"

"You do. Sootleaf, Smokeclaw, and Coalfoot know you better than anyone else, and you know them just as well," Addertail countered, "Did Flowerdusk hate you after you told us? Or Swiftfall? Or me?"

"No," Briarsong whimpered. She honestly hated crying, but the mix of hormones and the current situation weren't helping her. In her heart, she knew that the truth would come out anyways, and that it probably was best to let her family in on the secret. But she couldn't bring herself to actually do it. Those three were some of the most precious nekos in her life, and she hated the idea of them turning against her. So which decision was riskier?

Addertail sighed, his green eyes trailing over the expanse of Briarsong's swollen middle, "I know that you're scared…but this is one of those things that really counts in the long run. You have to trust them. You do trust them, right?"

"Of course!" Briarsong exclaimed, moving one hand to wipe her wet cheeks. Her lashes were sticking together thanks to the chilled tears, but she didn't take notice.

"Then you know what to do," the red-head said. He then took a look at Briarsong's slightly red face and shifted so that he was behind her.

"W-what are you doing?" Briarsong asked, trying to turn to him, but Addertail placed his hands on her shoulders, keeping her still.

"Stress and tension aren't good for expectant mothers," the man stated. Briarsong would have questioned this if it weren't for the fact that Addertail had begun moving. His hands firmly yet carefully worked at her muscles in precise movements. It took a moment before Briarsong realized that she was being massaged, and she sighed as the tension seemed to flow out of her body. A press here and a rub there was all she needed to admit that Addertail's hands were likely a gift from StarClan.

Feeling as if she were melting, Briarsong asked, "Addertail, how did you learn to do these massages?"

She swore that she could hear the smile in his voice, "Sageblossom taught me when I asked her what I could do for you. She said that massages were a good way to relax a kit-bearer."

"Well she was right~," Briarsong purred, her tail sweeping against the softened ground in pleasure. In moments like this, troubling thoughts like secrets and kits seemed to disappear like a fading mist. It was almost funny how quickly worries could leave the mind once it's soothed.

Briarsong nearly jumped to her feet when Swiftfall burst into the nursery, successfully scaring both her and Addertail to death. Briarsong was going to tell the younger warrior not to do things like that, but then she took in the woman's appearance. Swiftfall's eyes were wide, and she looked almost frightened.

"Briarsong, Eaglestar wants you outside _now_ ," she said with obvious worry.

Addertail questioned his sister, "Did he say why?"

"No," Swiftfall replied, "But he's acting madder than a fox and is calling a clan meeting right as we speak."

Briarsong felt a wave of dread wash over her. Eaglestar had not been himself lately and everyone knew it. The man was no longer the firm but sensible leader they once knew, but an erratic and occasionally violent one. She could only imagine what he had to dish out at her, and she hoped with all her heart that it had nothing to do with her kits.

Addertail stood, and Briarsong could see the grim look on his face as he helped her up. Her belly wasn't making walking easy nowadays. Swiftfall led them out, and Briarsong felt her heart thump faster as she neared her gathered clanmates.

They all seemed confused and concerned, murmuring questions about this meeting. Off to the side, Briarsong spotted her brothers watching her with worried eyes. StarClan, how she wanted to run over and hide behind them as she once did when she was a kit. She knew that she couldn't, however, and continued walking with Addertail beside her. Swiftfall stepped from in front of them, moving to stand beside Smokeclaw and giving Briarsong a reassuring look. Unfortunately, it wasn't very convincing.

At the center, Eaglestar stood with Sootleaf to his left and the two medicine holders to his right. Briarsong took one look at him and knew that Swiftfall was right. The leader's eyes were glaring holes into her, his arms were crossed and his tail was lashing in anger. Beside him, Sootleaf looked as if she didn't even know what to do. Briarsong couldn't really blame her.

Once she came to a stop before her leader, Eaglestar narrowed his eyes even further, "Briarsong, do you know why you are here?"

"N-no," Briarsong answered, swallowing as she felt her mouth dry.

The leader sneered at her, "Don't lie to your leader!"

Briarsong felt herself shrink back as he shouted at her. In all her life, she'd never heard Eaglestar yell like that, and she willed herself not to cry like a scolded kit.

"Lightpaw had something _very_ interesting to share with me," Eaglestar said, grabbing the apprentice's arm and shoving him forward, "Tell everyone what you told me."

Briarsong looked up at the tall medicine holder apprentice. The boy wore an apologetic expression, as if he hadn't intended for this to happen. Whatever Lightpaw had said, Briarsong knew that he probably hadn't meant any harm.

The boy took a breath before speaking, "A few nights ago, I went to bring some herbs to Flowerdusk, and I overheard Briarsong talking. She…she said that her kits weren't Addertail's."

Briarsong winced as she heard collective gasps and whispers. She looked down at her belly, not being able to meet the eyes of her clanmates. Her ears pressed to her head, and she felt her legs begin to shake. She did look up, however, when Addertail grasped her hand and squeezed. Meeting his eyes, she saw him give a small nod and was grateful for his support.

Eaglestar seemed to notice the red-head, too, and hissed, "You knew this, correct?"

"Of course," Addertail replied with no hesitation. He didn't back down from the leader's glare, and showed no sign of submission. Briarsong couldn't help but feel that Addertail was immensely brave, and found herself admiring him.

The leader appeared disgusted and gave Lightpaw a rough prod, "Go on, boy!"

"She said that they were…that they were…" Lightpaw seemed to choke up, unable to get the words out. He looked remorseful, and Briarsong guessed that he wanted to take it all back. She honestly didn't know whether she should feel sorry for him or not, given the situation.

"Spit it out!" Eaglestar hissed.

Lightpaw obediently blurted out the words, "She said they're a ThunderClanner's!"

The boy then covered his own mouth, and his hazel eyes gave a thousand apologies to Briarsong. Naturally, the clan exploded with shouts of surprise and outrage. Briarsong's heart nearly stopped when she saw her mother's face. Sootleaf looked absolutely shocked, and her hands were held up to her mouth. Seeing her, Briarsong felt the immediate need to run over and hug her, spewing out pleas for forgiveness and apologies.

Eaglestar took the words as a queue to unleash all his rage, snarling at Briarsong, "Is this true?"

Briarsong felt Addertail squeeze her hand even tighter, and she whispered out, "Y-yes."

The leader stepped forward, and Briarsong actually thought that he was going to strike her. However, he turned his attention to the clan and pointed at her, "This woman has broken the sacred code set by StarClan by breeding with a man from a different clan! Therefore she is to be punished!"

Briarsong felt like her heart begin to pound. What would happen to her and her kits? She'd never heard of a case like this, so she had no idea what to expect. She felt Addertail shift and press to her side, but didn't acknowledge the act. Eaglestar looked absolutely mad, with his eyes wide and some spit dripping from his mouth. What in Silverpelt had happened to their leader?

The man looked her over, and then whirled around in seemingly random movements, taking in the land around them. It wasn't only Briarsong who was concerned by his behavior, but her clanmates as well. Sageblossom took a step as if to try and calm him, but the man turned back to Briarsong and took breath, taking in cold, leaf-fall air.

He hissed in a low voice, "Exile."

Just like that, Briarsong felt like her heart had dropped out of her chest. She couldn't believe this. She couldn't be exiled, not at this time. It was leaf-fall, and a cold one at that. There was no doubt that leaf-bare would be unforgiving, and she couldn't possibly have her kits all alone during that time. They'd die. They'd surely die.

Sootleaf, appearing completely distraught, pleaded with the leader, "Eaglestar, don't you think that's a bit harsh? Isn't there a different punishment?"

Eaglestar whirled around, glaring at the deputy, "This is a punishment for you as well! I've been merciful enough with you! Everyone knows that your kits are products of that _loner_! I was kind, giving you a better reputation by making you deputy! Yet your daughter has the same whore blood as you!"

"Leave her alone!" Briarsong cried out. This was her doing, after all, and had nothing to do with Sootleaf. Her mother didn't need to be humiliated like this. She effectively gained Eaglestar's attention in crying out.

The man glared at her, yet he wasn't looking _at_ her. It was almost as if he was looking through her as he snarled, "You are no longer a member of WindClan. Do you hear me? Get out. Get out!"

Briarsong backed away as the man literally spat in her face. He continued to shout those two words as Addertail placed a hand on her shoulder and led her away. Their clanmates made room, some avoiding eye-contact while others bore pitying expressions. Briarsong couldn't really bring herself to acknowledge their sorry looks. She'd just been exiled for StarClan's sake!

Addertail didn't say anything, but the two stopped when Swiftfall stepped in their way. Flowerdusk, Coalfoot, and Smokeclaw joined her. The teen had tears flowing down her cheeks, and choked out, "Oh, Briarsong…"

That was all the girl could say before she started crying and threw her arms around Briarsong. The action was like a switch in a way, and Briarsong started to sob right along with her. She didn't even flinch when Flowerdusk joined in. She didn't know what the men were thinking or if they were crying too, but she didn't care at the moment. WindClan had been her only home for all her life. Its open moor and refreshing winds were something she grew up with and had hoped that her kits would do the same. What was she even supposed to do? She couldn't hunt in her condition, so how was she going to eat? It was more than likely that she would die of starvation before her kits could even be born.

"Briarsong."

She looked up at Coalfoot, whom wore a saddened expression. The man wasn't usually one to display his emotions so easily, but he clearly showed his sorrow now. Sniffing in an attempt to stop crying, Briarsong gave her brother her attention.

"We should probably go now," he said, despite obviously not wanting to do as he suggested.

Briarsong gave him a confused look, "We?"

"You don't think I'm letting you go out on your own, do you? No, I'm going along. At least, I want to lead you somewhere safe," Coalfoot stated, his blue eyes sharpening with determination.

Smokeclaw immediately piped up, "I'll come, too."

Coalfoot shook his head, "No need. Besides, we don't want Eaglestar thinking that we're all leaving; he might not react too well. Flowerdusk, don't even think about it, you're pregnant, too. You neither, Swiftfall, I need you to keep Smokeclaw from chasing after us."

Briarsong would have laughed if not for the current situation. The notion wasn't at all unlike Smokeclaw, who tended to be impulsive. Reluctantly, Flowerdusk and Swiftfall released her, and Briarsong thought for a moment that they'd latch onto her all over again. But they didn't, even though they obviously wanted to. Instead, the two women continued to wipe their tears away as they continued crying.

"I'm sorry, I just wish…I…I mean…" Flowerdusk took a deep breath, clasping Briarsong's hands in her own, "This is not goodbye, understand? We're…we're gonna figure something out, okay?"

Briarsong nodded, though she wasn't sure that she believed that, "Okay."

She looked at the group and said the only thing that she could really bear to say, "I love you."

Just like that, Flowerdusk burst into tears again while Swiftfall let out a sob. The two were led into an embrace from Smokeclaw, who looked as if he were trying not to do the same and was failing. Coalfoot sighed and grasped Briarsong's hand. She didn't bother to pull back, seeing as doing so would only make the whole process harder.

 _This is not goodbye_ , she thought, replaying Flowerdusk's words in her head. A small part of her had the hope that it was true, but a larger part wasn't fooled.

"Addertail, what are you doing?" Coalfoot questioned, having turned his head to eye the red-haired man.

Addertail looked at him as if it were obvious, "I'm coming, too. You said nothing about me staying behind."

Coalfoot was silent for a moment, as if think it over before turning away and continuing on. He had let go of Briarsong's hand, thus letting Addertail take the wheel in steadying her as she awkwardly waddled out of camp. Each step felt odd, as if she weren't even the one walking. Behind her, Briarsong could still hear Swiftfall's loud sobs and Flowerdusk's sniffles. All the while, Smokeclaw tried to soothe them while trying not to let his own tears get in the way. She supposed that Raventail had come up to the group, as she heard his distinct voice, uttering to Flowerdusk.

This couldn't possibly be goodbye.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Hey everyone, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter even though it was some sad stuff. Well, at least you guys know what happened now.**

 **I don't know what's up with Word right now, but it's causing my paragraphs to be formatted oddly. So if there's anything unusual about the way this chapter looks, it is all Word's fault. I'm still trying to figure out what's up, since it only seems to be happening to this document.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **If he were human, Addertail would more than likely be a social-worker. Meanwhile, Briarsong would be a pilot.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	15. Twelve: Over the Border

**=Ravenstrike=**

It was almost surreal. Not very long ago, Ravenstrike was forcing himself to stop thinking about Briarsong and yet there she was, only a few fox-lengths from reach. With her stood two WindClan warriors; one of which he couldn't identify. But he recognized the red-head almost immediately upon setting his sight on him. Though he didn't know his name, Ravenstrike knew that this had to be the man that was fathering Briarsong's unborn children. His tail twitched as a show of irritation, and he had the sudden urge to cross the border and confront the two.

Hawkspeck's voice cut into his anger-fueled plans, "Where are you taking her?"

"Out of the territories, obviously," the dark-haired warrior stated. His stone-hard eyes softened, "Somewhere safe, of course."

Ravenstrike quirked his brow, wanting to know what the WindClanner was talking about. Why would a heavily-pregnant kit-bearer be taken out of Clan territory? Now that he thought about it, it was questionable as to why Briarsong was outside of her clan's camp when she was in such a state. Ravenstrike's mind swirled with questions that he wanted answered as soon as possible.

"Somewhere safe?" Hawkspeck continued to question. The older warrior stood with his arms crossed and with a posture that displayed his full height. While his body screamed seriousness, Ravenstrike swore that he detected some type of hitch to his voice.

The WindClan warrior nodded, "Yes; the No-Tail Place perhaps."

Upon hearing such a place mentioned, Ravenstrike's ears pinned back with displeasure. Why in StarClan's name would Briarsong be taken there, where she'd more than likely become a kittypet, dependant on No-Tails for the rest of her life? The mere idea was unfavorable for many, and his clanmates seemed to agree based on their individual reactions. Snakestrike's tail bristled along with Hazelpaw's, and Shortpaw scrunched her nose. Hawkspeck appeared to tense slightly.

"That is no place for a Clan-born neko, especially not a kit-bearer," the senior warrior said.

"And what other choice is there? Perhaps we could just leave her in the forest to fend off creatures looking for a vulnerable meal?" the dark-haired man asked, his voice rising. His cool demeanor seemed to slip, and the red-head placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Coalfoot, it's best that we move on," he advised. Briarsong stayed quiet behind him, appearing both frightened and uncertain about the current situation.

The WindClanner, apparently Coalfoot, took a breath and nodded in agreement with his clanmate. He then turned away whilst addressing the patrol, "There you have it. I believe you have no further business with us, ThunderClan."

"Addertail, Briarsong, let's continue," Coalfoot said to his clanmates. The red-head, Addertail, nodded and offered Briarsong support as he urged her to start walking.

Ravenstrike simply watched them. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to do anything or even if he could. Perhaps he should be happy that Briarsong was leaving the Clans, for whatever reason she was being escorted away. With her gone, he might be able to get a hold on his sanity again. But StarClan knows what could happen to a WindClan kit-bearer in the No-Tail Place. Not every kittypet was soft, something he'd learned from Fennelfur, and some of them could be very violent. There were plenty of deadly monsters, and dogs just waiting to sink their teeth into the flesh of a neko. StarClan, Briarsong could very well have received a death-sentence!

Then Hawkspeck spoke up, "Hold on."

With obvious reluctance, Coalfoot looked back at the patrol. Addertail paused as well, thus stopping Briarsong from continuing on their venture. The pregnant woman brought her attention to the ThunderClanners, and Ravenstrike caught her green eyes which widened immediately. She looked away a moment later.

"What is it?" Coalfoot asked impatiently.

"Give her to us," Hawkspeck said smoothly, without any hesitation.

Instantly, the senior warrior gained surprise and shock from both sides of the border. Hazelpaw looked half-enraged while her fellow apprentice gasping. Snakestrike let out a loud, "What?!"

Ravenstrike stared at his former mentor. The man didn't waver, as if his statement wasn't unusual in any way. What was he thinking? He wasn't leader nor deputy, and therefore had no right to make such a decision. There wasn't any guarantee that the WindClanners would agree, but Hawkspeck would be in deep shit if they did. Then again, Ravenstrike had no doubt that Hawkspeck was well-aware of that fact.

Coalfoot blinked a couple times, obviously processing the demand, "What?"

"It'd be much better for her to come to another clan rather than the No-Tail Place," Hawkspeck stated, "Am I correct?"

Addertail shifted uncomfortably, and leaned forward to whisper in Coalfoot's ear. Ravenstrike narrowed his eyes, wondering what he could be saying. Copperwind always believed that judging someone without knowing them was wrong, but Ravenstrike couldn't help but hate the red-head. He didn't feel a bit of shame about it.

Coalfoot stood up straight after Addertail finished, his blue eyes studying the patrol. He seemed to scan over each one of the ThunderClanners, and Ravenstrike felt his tail bristle as the man's gaze swept over him. He then turned and spoke to Briarsong. His voice was low, however, and Ravenstrike couldn't make out whatever it was he was saying over the flowing water of the stream. He did, however, see Briarsong give a hesitant nod and say something in response. She rested one hand on her bulging middle.

The dark-haired warrior then turned back to the patrol, "She will be welcomed?"

"I can't give any guarantee, especially since leaf-bare is on the way," Hawkspeck said honestly, "But I can assure you that she will be treated fairly either way."

Coalfoot didn't seem to appreciate the answer, but nevertheless turned and nodded to Addertail. The taller man looked hesitant, but took Briarsong's arm and began to lead her towards the border. Ravenstrike noticed the way Hawkspeck relaxed slightly, and his amber eyes showed that he was pleased.

Briarsong walked in an awkward waddle, and had to do so slowly as she made her way over grass, dips, and rocks. In spite of that, Addertail kept with her pace, patiently supporting her all the way. It was an agonizingly long walk, though it was likely took only just over a minute to finish. Once they reached the stream, the two paused.

Hawkspeck didn't hesitate and jumped into the stream, allowing the chilled water to meet his calves. He then waved to Ravenstrike, "Come over and help, will you? Snakestrike, Shortpaw, be prepared to guide her up the bank."

Ravenstrike didn't think before he followed the order and entered the stream. The cold shocked him, and he felt a shiver travel up his body along with the fur on his tail bristling. He had the strong urge to jump back out as his feet and lower legs quickly numbed. However, Briarsong was already making her way into the stream with Addertail's assistance. Coalfoot had approached, and watched over the progress like a hawk.

"Eep!" Briarsong squeaked as her feet met the water, and she let out another as she slipped. Seeing her jerk to the side, Ravenstrike immediately moved to catch her. One of his hands caught her right leg, while the other supported her upper back.

"Easy now," Hawkspeck said, offering his own support on the woman's left side.

However, Ravenstrike didn't think that Briarsong heard the senior warrior. The two stared at each other as she was lowered into the stream. Ravenstrike noted that her face was just as plain as before, with brown freckles that made her look as if she hadn't cleaned her face recently, and green eyes that weren't outstandingly bright or alluring. Yet he still sucked in a breath upon making eye-contact with her. In that moment, he felt strangely calm. In fact, he felt calmer than he'd been in _moons_. But the moment ended as Briarsong broke the contact in favor of making sure her feet were securely at the bottom of the stream.

Ravenstrike let out the breath he'd been holding. A flash of red caught his attention, and he looked to see Addertail reluctantly releasing his hold on the kit-bearer. Just like that, he felt a spark of anger enter him again. For a moment, he'd forgotten that the kits that Briarsong carried were not his, but this man's. He observed Addertail quickly, and noticed the ugly scar on his neck. Unusual.

Then, Addertail looked at him with deep, green eyes and fixed him with a hard look, "Take care of her."

That had taken Ravenstrike by surprise. Did this man honestly think he'd hurt Briarsong or something? Sure, the woman pissed him off without even being near him, but he wouldn't hurt her. Not on purpose, at least. He matched Addertail's expression, "I don't need you to tell me that."

The WindClan warrior's eyes widened slightly before glinting with what seemed like understanding. He then offered a half-hearted smile preceding a whisper, "No, you don't."

Ravenstrike was about to question him about what the fuck that meant, but Hawkspeck called his attention, "Ravenstrike, get over here."

He turned and saw that Hawkspeck was supporting Briarsong as she was help up the bank by Snakestrike and Shortpaw. Hazelpaw watched indignantly, though she was clearly trying and failing to hide her interest. Glancing back at the WindClan side of the border, Ravenstrike saw that Addertail had backed off and stood with Coalfoot, simply watching their clanmate.

Ravenstrike narrowed his eyes and turned to assist his former mentor. He placed one hand on her bottom and the other on her back, trying to be as gentle as Hawkspeck was as he pushed her up. But the feeling of her rear quickly reminded him of when he'd helped her through her heat, though she was wearing a covering now. Still, he could feel the soft curve in his hand, and noticed that she put on some weight, no doubt on account of her current state.

Within a couple seconds, Briarsong was on ThunderClan land, with Hawkspeck and Ravenstrike joining her. The slight breeze chilled his already numb legs even worse, but his mind was currently on the woman that had captivated him for so long.

"Well, we'd best get going. Another group can finish the patrol," Hawkspeck announced. He then added, "Briarsong, go ahead and say good-bye. I can see that you want to."

The brunette looked at Hawkspeck with grateful eyes before turning and giving a wave to her clanmates. She said nothing, however, and her wave was slow. Ravenstrike saw that her green eyes were filled with sadness. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the woman's clanmates wave back.

"Now then, let's go," Hawkspeck said. He offered his arm to Briarsong, whom hesitantly took hold and allowed him to guide her.

Ravenstrike watched as the two started off, and saw that Snakestrike and the apprentices were quick to join. His eyes narrowed as he watched Hawkspeck and Briarsong. Next to each other, they looked oddly alike. He shook his head.

 _It's just my imagination,_ he figured. He then spared a glance over the stream. The two men whom had been with Briarsong were now leaving, and may or may not have been speaking to each other.

"Ravenstrike, you coming?" he heard Snakestrike call.

"Of course I'm coming. Give me a moment, dammit!" Ravenstrike snapped. He was already trailing after the rest of the patrol, however, and noticed a pain in his head.

His headache was back. No doubt a sign of some deep shit awaiting the patrol's arrival.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: I did it! Two updates in one day!**

 **Anyways, I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. Maybe you'd like to drop a review in that wonderful box below? I know you want to~.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Ravenstrike and Copperwind lost their father at the age of 11.**

 **Happy Belated Valentine's Day!**

 **\- Tina**


	16. Thirteen: Dreams in ThunderClan

**~Briarsong~**

 _Briarsong wasn't quite sure as to where she was. All around her was lush green grass that seemed to stretch into infinity until it met the starry horizon. The breeze was warm, which was odd considering it was supposed to be leaf-fall. She looked around in confusion, trying to find anything that might be familiar to her._

 _Nothing._

 _She sniffed tentatively, and was surprised to find that she couldn't detect any Clan scent. At least, not any that she recognized. The breeze carried the scents of prey, plants, and of neko. But the neko scent wasn't piney like ShadowClan, fishy like RiverClan, musky like ThunderClan, or comforting like WindClan. No, it was completely different and somehow indescribable._

" _Confused, are we?"_

 _Startled, Briarsong whirled around, her hand placed over her expanded belly protectively. Before her stood a man whom she had never seen before. He was a good deal taller than her, with long, gray hair tied up loosely. His amber eyes were just as calm as his smile._

 _Briarsong said the first thing that came to her mind, "What is this place?"_

 _The man's eyes glittered with amusement, "Why, StarClan, of course."_

 _StarClan? How in Silverpelt was she in StarClan? Briarsong looked around, now realizing why everything seemed so perfect in this place. StarClan was said to be a paradise for the deceased, after all. She turned her attention back to the man. Immediately, she noticed how he looked somewhat faded, with the stars seeming to reflect in his eyes. But why was she here? She was no medicine holder._

 _She felt dread fill her being. Could…could she possibly be..?_

 _The StarClanner seemed to read her mind, "You're not dead, Briarsong. This is a dream."_

" _A dream?" Briarsong copied, feeling mystified. The man nodded in response._

" _Yes, a very important dream. I know that you do not recognize me, but I'm certain that you've heard of me. After all, kit bearers still tell tales of Gray Wing, correct?" the man asked._

 _Briarsong's eyes widened in wonder. Of course she'd been told stories about a wise man named Gray Wing, whom had been one of the original WindClanners, and named said Clan. She wondered why he'd appear to her in a dream, having never heard of any living neko meeting him before._

 _Gray Wing's smile widened a bit, "I'm assuming I was right?"_

" _Y-yes," Briarsong answered. She then asked, "Uh, Gray Wing…why am I here?"_

 _The ancient spirit's smile fell and his face became serious. Briarsong hoped that she hadn't asked the wrong question._

" _Yes, about that," Gray Wing began, "There is something very important that I must tell you."_

" _What is it?" Briarsong asked._

" _Listen carefully:_ Do not fear one, for love to turn four into two. And one will be many. _" he said._

 _Briarsong blinked, not understanding what the old spirit meant. Medicine holders often said that StarClan could be very cryptic when delivering any kind of message, and they certainly weren't wrong. She didn't even know where to begin to try understanding the words. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask if Gray Wing could explain, but he spoke again before she could utter a word._

" _You've been through many troubles lately, Briarsong, but they've all happened for a reason. From the moment you first encountered Ravenstrike, you were chosen," Gray Wing stated solemnly._

" _Ch-chosen?" Briarsong asked. Chosen for what?_

 _Gray Wing nodded. His form began to fade even further, and Briarsong realized that the landscape seemed to be melting away as well. She had an epiphany, realizing that she must be waking up._

 _The ancient WindClanner spoke in a distant-sounding voice as he continued to fade, "Harder times are coming, Briarsong. Do what you must."_

 _Briarsong shouted to him, "What do you mean?! Gray Wing, wait!"_

 _The land around her vanished nonetheless, and Gray Wing disappeared along with it. Darkness followed, and Briarsong felt her body begin to stir._

* * *

Groaning, Briarsong opened her eyes. She expected to see the interior of WindClan's nursery, hear the chatting of her fellow queens and the mews of kits, and to smell the warm, milky scent that filled the air. She blinked, realizing that while she _was_ in a nursery, it wasn't the one she was used to. The air smelled of milk, yes, but it also reeked of ThunderClan.

Suddenly alert, she sat up as fast as her swollen middle would allow, and eyed the two queens before her warily. Both had white hair, though one bore red streaks and was clearly older. The elder of the two gave Briarsong a cautious, though suspicious once-over. Meanwhile, the other queen gave her a calm smile.

"Ah, you're awake," the latter observed, "I suppose such a journey would exhaust anyone."

Upon hearing her words, the memories of the previous day hit Briarsong like a monster. She remembered how Lightpaw had admitted to overhearing her, how Eaglestar seemed to have lost his mind, and how she was lead into ThunderClan's territory after being exiled. The feeling that came with the memories was an overwhelming mix of sorrow and fear, and Briarsong brought her fluffy tail around her belly and let out a choked-up gasp.

The queen who had spoken too her widened her blue eyes, and stood up. Briarsong stared as the woman approached and sat down beside her, wondering what this queen's intentions were.

"Bloodheart, would you mind telling Duskleap that our guest has awoken? " she asked, glancing at her companion. The older, though shorter queen nodded and gave Briarsong one more fleeting look before heading out.

The remaining ThunderClanner then brought her attention back to Briarsong, "Is it alright if I touch you?"

Briarsong looked the queen over, noticing that she too was pregnant. Surely she could identify with that and avoid harming her, right? Briarsong didn't think any queen would risk hurting kits, regardless of origin, and she silently nodded.

The woman smiled and placed a hand on the back of Briarsong's neck, causing the WindClan female to flinch. She then proceeded to slowly rub the spot in careful, but firm circles. Briarsong wondered what the woman could be up to, and then felt a slight pinch. Instantly, Briarsong felt her body relax for a heartbeat, before the fellow queen went back to rubbing.

In a hesitant voice, Briarsong asked, "What are you doing?"

"Massaging, of course," the white-haired woman replied, "This is a way to soothe tension. However, it doesn't work with teenage or grown males for obvious reasons."

Briarsong hummed in understanding. She remembered how Addertail would ease the tension out of her body and soothe the pain in her legs and ankles without even being asked. Flowerdusk would say something sly yet playful at the same time, making Briarsong feel embarrassed about the massage. Addertail would notice and ask if he should stop, but Briarsong would always say no and Swiftfall would laugh with Flowerdusk.

Thinking about them made Briarsong wonder if they were okay. After all, Eaglestar knew that they had known about her secret and hadn't informed him. What about her mother and brothers? Would their leader punish them as well? Eaglestar had completely lost it when Sootleaf tried to defend her, after all. Briarsong closed her eyes, praying that Eaglestar would have more mercy for her family and friends.

She opened her eyes when the ThunderClan queen stopped her ministrations. Briarsong looked at the woman, wondering what she was going to do next. The white-haired queen offered a smile.

"I suppose it's only proper to introduce ourselves," she said, "I am Fennelfur."

Briarsong blinked, feeling as if she'd heard that name before. She then gave her own name in response, "I'm Briarsong."

"Well, Briarsong, I hope that you can come to like life in ThunderClan," Fennelfur said warmly.

Briarsong felt herself become oddly irritated by the queen's words and snapped, "Who said I was going to stay here?"

Despite the tone that was directed at her, Fennelfur only gave a calm smile and replied, "Oakstar wouldn't let an expectant mother be out in the cold, so to speak. And I doubt ShadowClan will be very welcoming, and RiverClan is too far away for a pregnant queen to travel safely."

"What about the No-Tail Place?" Briarsong asked, as it had been her initial destination on Coalfoot's part.

Fennelfur eyed her with deep, blue orbs, "Now, you're the one who agreed to come here instead of that place, right?"

"You know about that?" Briarsong asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Of course," Fennelfur said, "Copperwind relayed the details to me as soon as Ravenstrike told him about it."

Though Briarsong didn't know who in the world Copperwind was, she knew all too well about Ravenstrike. Was he out there, waiting in camp for her to exit? Who knows what he would have to say to her now that she was carrying his kits. Fennelfur seemed to catch on to her troubled expression.

"If you're wondering, Ravenstrike is—"

The queen was cut off as Bloodheart poked her head in and nodded to Briarsong, "Oakstar wants to see her."

"Oh, well then," Fennelfur stood and offered Briarsong a hand, "It's rude to keep a leader waiting."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Ooh, I wonder how Oakstar will greet Briarsong. Also, we've finally met Fennelfur! What do you guys think? This chapter was actually going to be longer, but that seemed like a good place to leave you all hangin'. *gets shot***

 **Fun-Fact:** **Gray Wing is a canon character from** _ **"Dawn of the Clans"**_ **whom named WindClan before his death. He is also a distant ancestor of Briarsong.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	17. Fourteen: They're Not Mine

**=Ravenstrike=**

With his hands behind his back, palms pressed to the forearm of their counterpart, and standing to attention, Ravenstrike was only assuming the standard position for facing a Clan leader. That was the way one was supposed to stand when they were called to speak with their leader, or any leader. It was purely for respect of authority. At least, that's the way ThundeClan did things. Glancing out the corner of his eye, Ravenstrike saw that Briarsong wasn't even attempting to get in position. Despite her current state, he was sure that she should be able to do it. Where things different where she was from?

"Ravenstrike," Oakstar called, effectively catching the warrior's attention.

"Yes, Oakstar?" Ravenstrike responded. He was pretty sure about what the leader had to say, having been called into the man's hut soon after Briarsong. Ravenstrike hadn't been present to see the pregnant WindClanner be escorted to his leader's living-space, but Copperwind had relayed the information as soon as Ravenstrike had returned from a walk. And it was a good thing he'd decided to take that walk, considering he'd been so overwhelmed by thought and emotions when he left. If not for the time he'd taken to cool down a bit, he probably would have blown up at Briarsong the second he entered the hut.

"From what I've gathered," the ThunderClan leader said, betraying none of his thoughts in his voice, "This woman is carrying your kits, which has resulted in her exile from WindClan. Am I correct, you two?"

Briarsong nodded solemnly, "Yes."

Ravenstrike, however, wasn't able to stop himself from spitting out a harsh, " _No_."

Immediately, Oakstar gave him a questioning look. Ravenstrike didn't meet his leader's gaze, feeling his own anger rise right back up from where he'd temporarily tucked it away. He knew those kits weren't his, and for Briarsong to say that they were was outrageous. What was she pulling?

Thankfully, Hawkspeck was also present and covered for his former apprentice, "Oakstar, forgive Ravenstrike. He hasn't quite grasped the whole concept yet."

Oakstar nodded, his green eyes narrowing slightly, "Understandable. However, Ravenstrike, you _did_ mate with her, correct?"

"Yes," Ravenstrike replied through gritted teeth. Admitting to his errors was something that he never liked to do, especially when the mistake was as awful as this one. However, he'd been raised to avoid lying, and decided it was best to man-up and take whatever punishment Oakstar would give.

Following his answer, Oakstar was quiet for several heartbeats. Hearing the sound of light shuffling, Ravenstrike looked at Briarsong again and saw her shift on her feet warily. The brunette's ears were pinned her head and her tail was swaying anxiously. Her face was no better, clearly showing worry and fear. She was displaying her emotions so openly, yet moderately. Ravenstrike furrowed his brows, wondering just how odd this woman really was. Normally, a neko from a different clan would be much more guarded around the leader of another.

"I've come to a decision," Oakstar said after the long silence, "Briarsong, I am willing to extend my hand and allow you to become a ThunderClan member. Of course, you don't have to accept, but keep other factors in mind."

Saying this, the man held out his left hand, waiting patiently for Briarsong's decision. The woman's eyes had widened, and she stared at the hand for a while, clearly having some kind of inner-conflict.

 _For StarClan's sake, just take it_ , Ravenstrike thought irritably, _You're lucky he's even offering_.

As if she'd read his mind, Briarsong hesitantly reached out and took the man's hand. She stood still as stone when he gave her smaller hand a squeeze, holding it for a good heartbeat before releasing her. Ravenstrike noticed that she'd looked the leader right in the eye when she'd accepted his offer.

Oakstar then gave his attention to Ravenstrike, "Ravenstrike, while you may not be ready to accept the truth of the matter, you did admit to mating with a WindClanner. As atonement, you are to care for Briarsong's needs until her kits are born. That is all."

"Wha—Oakstar! Isn't there something else I could—?" Ravenstrike was cut off by Hawkspeck's hand over his mouth. He shot a glare at the older warrior, but it was ignored.

"Thank you, Oakstar, I'm sure Ravenstrike will carry out his duties wonderfully," Hawkspeck said with a smile. The leader had amusement in his eyes as he nodded to the warrior, dismissing the three.

Hawkspeck didn't release Ravenstrike until they were outside, giving Copperwind and Fennelfur the perfect opportunity to chuckle to his expense. Even Briarsong gave an amused smile. Thoroughly irritated, Ravenstrike pushed himself away from his former mentor and glared at the group around him.

"What the fuck was that?!" he hissed, focusing on Hawkspeck.

"I wouldn't have had to do that if it wasn't for that outburst of yours," Hawkspeck stated, "You could have given yourself and Briarsong more trouble if I had let you continue."

"So, can I assume it went well, considering our guest's mood?" Copperwind asked. Briarsong looked at him with surprise and opened her mouth to speak, but Copperwind beat her to it, "You're obviously relieved. I can see it on your face."

"Oh, really?" Briarsong questioned, blinking with wide eyes.

Fennelfur nodded, placing a hand on her mate's arm, "You're very expressive, Briarsong. But Copperwind would have picked up on your mood even if you weren't; he's the more sensitive one, after all."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ravenstrike growled, earning himself a look from his brother. He, unlike the others, wasn't at all happy with the arrangement. Not only would he have to live with Briarsong as a clanmate for StarClan-knows-how-long, but he'd also be playing father for kits that weren't even his! At the thought of the former-WindClanner, Ravenstrike turned his attention to her.

Just as he turned to let loose on the woman, he felt her touch his arm. Surprised, Ravenstrike gave Briarsong a confused look, but she addressed the others.

"Sorry, but I'd like to speak with Ravenstrike alone, if that's okay," she requested. Immediately, Hawkspeck's eyes flashed with understanding.

"Of course you can," he replied, offering the woman a smile. He then flashed a look at Ravenstrike that clearly said _'_ go with her'. In response, Ravenstrike gave him a withering glare.

Briarsong wore a grateful expression and gently tugged at Ravenstrike's arm, guiding him off to an area of camp that wasn't occupied. Ravenstrike reluctantly allowed the young woman to lead him away, glancing back at his companions. The three could not meet his look, however, as they were already focused on a conversation that seemed pretty serious. Repressing a growl, he turned back to pay attention to where he and Briarsong were going.

What did the woman even want? Well, it wasn't as if Ravenstrike didn't already have an idea. She'd probably drop her sweet façade and inform him that the kits she carried weren't his. At least he wouldn't be surprised. But what did she plan to do when her kits didn't look like him? The very thought of a red-haired kit appearing made him scowl with distaste.

Once they reached seclusion, Briarsong turned to Ravenstrike with a serious expression. Well, she was clearly trying to put up a serious front, but her eyes betrayed her nervousness.

"Ravenstrike, I…" Briarsong began. She paused, taking a breath before looking him in the eyes, "I know that this is all pretty…ah, big, I guess. I never actually meant for you to find out, but all this stuff has happened and…well, here I am."

She placed a hand on her belly, "But I've managed to get this far. So, after the kits are born, you don't really have to do anything else for us. Of course, they're still yours, but I—"

"Mine? Tch, what kind of fool do you take me for?" Ravenstrike asked in a low growl. Did this woman honestly think that he was an idiot? Was she really thinking that she could trick him with this…this guilt-trip?

Briarsong blinked in what Ravenstrike was sure was mock confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you what I mean," Ravenstrike replied, "I mean I know that those kits aren't mine. Did you think I wouldn't find out? I was at the Gathering when it was announced that you were pregnant, and I saw everyone congratulate Addertail for knocking you up."

"Wha—no, Ravenstrike, it's a misunderstanding," Briarsong said, "Addertail was—"

"Was what? The man you intended to _fuck_? Yeah, I was just something to hold you over, right? You probably screwed him right after I left, didn't you?" Ravenstrike hissed. The idea had more or less just occurred to him, and he hadn't been able to stop himself from saying it. As he spoke, however, he realized just how likely it sounded.

He watched as Briarsong's eyes went from wide with shock to narrowed, hardening with anger. Her hands dropped to her sides, curling into fists, and she took a step towards Ravenstrike with her ears pinned back in fury.

"How dare you? How _dare_ you say that? Do you honestly think that I'd do something like that?! What do you take me for?!" she growled, stepping closer to Ravenstrike.

The woman was looking him dead in the eye, her head tilted upwards due to their difference in height. Had she been taller, she would have been in his face. Her expanded middle was just barely touching his own.

Ravenstrike felt his tail bristle, angered by this continued act. Why couldn't Briarsong just admit to what she'd done? He knew it was the truth, and this woman was obviously intending to persist in her lie. He spoke before he even thought about his response, "You're a _mistake_. Meeting you was a mistake."

He poked her belly, doing so harder than he'd intended, causing the woman to wince and cover her middle protectively. However, Ravenstrike couldn't care less at the moment, "And you coming here was a mistake."

Briarsong's green eyes displayed hurt that was surely fake. She kept both her hands on her belly in a guarded fashion as she spoke, "Alright. Believe whatever you want. But these are your kits, and that won't change no matter what."

With that said, Briarsong turned and stormed off as best she could with a pregnant belly. Her fluffy tail lashed as a clear display of her displeasure as she waddled towards the nursery. A few of her new clanmates gave her odd looks and Ravenstrike saw Fernpelt whisper something to Snowflower as Briarsong passed.

Ravenstrike turned away, willing himself not to care about what others had to say about Briarsong. The woman would no doubt be the victim to suspicion and gossip once word got out about her becoming a part of ThunderClan, but that didn't affect Ravenstrike. Besides, she was a liar anyways, so why should he care?

When he turned, he was immediately greeted by Copperwind, whom was approaching quickly. There was little doubt in Ravenstrike's mind that his brother had been watching and waiting until he and Briarsong were finished talking to come over. Ravenstrike felt bitter dread fill him once he noticed the serious expression on Copperwind's face. A lecture was surely coming fast.

"Wipe that look off your face," Copperwind said, "I saw the whole thing."

"Where are Fennelfur and Hawkspeck?" Ravenstrike questioned, noticing that they weren't anywhere nearby. In all honesty, he really didn't want to get into another argument.

His brother replied immediately, "Hawkspeck is organizing a patrol, and Fennelfur had to tend to the kits. Now, what in StarClan's name was that?"

Ravenstrike met his brother's gaze, "She tried to tell me that those damn kits are mine. It's like she thinks I'm an idiot or something."

Copperwind blinked at him wordlessly for a moment before closing his eyes, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "That aside, I saw what you did, too. Why in Silverpelt did you jab her like that? She's pregnant, and no matter how angry you get, you can't do something like that."

"Did I ever mention how much you sound like Mother?" Ravenstrike observed. In response, Copperwind gave him a withering look. It was the same look Berryspring would give them when they were kits and they'd said something wrong.

"Ravenstrike, I'm being serious," Copperwind stated in an exasperated tone. It was rare that the older brother showed his annoyance, but Ravenstrike was well-aware that he'd been pushing his littermate's limits lately.

He continued, "You _need_ to get a hold on yourself. After all, you do have to see Briarsong every day until she gives birth. You have try and control yourself, okay?"

Ravenstrike was the desperate look in Copperwind's eyes. His brother was obviously hoping for a certain response. In all honesty, Ravenstrike wasn't sure if he could live up to his brother's expectations, but he knew that he wanted to at least try. Besides, all he'd have to do is go in and tend to whatever the fuck Briarsong needed and get out. He supposed he could control himself for the little time such tasks would take. For his brother, he'd do his best.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Ravenstrike replied, "Alright, I'll try."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Okay, things are really starting to get on a roll now. The next chapter will have a little time-skip, and we'll get to see how things go for Briarsong and her new life. Look forward to it!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Though he'd never admit it, Copperwind's favorite out of his adopted children is Hazelpaw.**

 **Happy April Fools!**

 **\- Tina**


	18. Fifteen: In the Rain

**~Briarsong~**

In some ways, ThunderClan wasn't that bad. After spending her first week within the forested territory, Briarsong had come to realize that things in her new clan weren't terrible. As time had passed, she'd honestly begun to enjoy being around her denmates. Bloodheart, though originally suspicious of Briarsong, had revealed a surprisingly friendly personality. In a way, Briarsong supposed that the older woman was a lot like her own mother, being both loving and firm at the same time.

Fennelfur was also pleasant to be around. Through conversation, Briarsong had found out that the dark-skinned beauty had a barn-cat once, but had come to ThunderClan shortly after the birth of her first litter. She was Copperwind's mate, with said man being the father of her unborn kits, as well as Ravenstrike's littermate.

That last bit of information had come as a surprise to Briarsong. After all, she'd seen how different the two brothers were. While Copperwind was patient, intuitive, and friendly, his brother was the exact opposite. Although Ravenstrike had gone through with the "punishment" that Oakstar inflicted on him, he wasn't at all pleasant while he carried out his duties. He barely looked at Briarsong when he came to the nursery; and when he did, she was always met with hostile eyes. The man she'd mated with was grouchy as well, as Briarsong had seen him snap at Ebonykit for stepping on his tail, which was unusually patchy. Of course, Fennelfur had been quick to intervene before her adopted daughter could get upset.

Despite Ravenstrike being the raincloud of life in ThunderClan, Briarsong had become determined to adapt. Now that she was part of the Clan, she knew that she would have to get used to her new surroundings. It wasn't only important to her, but it was essential for her kits as well. The last thing she wanted was for her kits to face discrimination or bullying due to her being unable to help them with life in ThunderClan. After all, she was sure that they'd get enough grief for being "half-Clan". Even the thought of that word made Briarsong shudder with distaste. After all, she had dealt with the constant rumors of being half-loner all her life.

Two soft kicks from within her womb coaxed Briarsong away from her thoughts, and she gazed down at her swollen belly fondly, resting one hand where the actions had taken place. A third kick quickly met her palm, raising her stretched flesh ever-so-slightly. The motion felt like a flutter inside of her, though strong and deliberate. Briarsong smiled and spoke softly, "Getting restless, kits?"

As if they had heard her, Briarsong felt her children shift inside of her. She moved her own weight, and winced as she felt a sharp object prod her thigh. With a bit of searching, Briarsong quickly uncovered a small thorn in her nest. Flicking it away, she sighed. Ravenstrike was the one mainly responsible for providing fresh bedding for her, and he clearly hadn't spent much time picking out protrusions such as the thorn.

 _And it's clear as to why_ , she silently grumbled.

Briarsong didn't know how she was supposed to prove to Ravenstrike that she hadn't lied to him about their kits. The man was as stubborn as a badger and completely unwilling to speak to her, much less listen to anything that she had to say. Despite knowing from the start that there was a fire in Ravenstrike's heart, Briarsong had been caught off guard by his obstinacy. And to think that her clanmates had thought of _her_ as stubborn once…

With a huff, Briarsong decided to push the issue aside. She urged herself to her feet with some difficulty, fancying the idea of a trip outside the nursery. She spoke to her kits as she started out, "Some fresh air sure sounds nice, right? Besides, holding all your weight has made my legs go numb."

The second she stepped out, Briarsong took a deep breath. The air was clean, with the crispness of leaf-fall and the scents of the forest within it. For a heartbeat, Briarsong allowed herself to miss the air that surrounded WindClan, air that filled the lungs comfortingly and carried scents from far away. With a second inhale, she could taste rain on the breeze that come from the direction of her old home.

"Getting some outside time, Briarsong?" she heard Fennelfur ask in her usual cool yet kind tone. Turning her attention to her newfound friend, Briarsong offered a small smile. The white-haired female was sitting a fox-length from the nursery, with Jaykit and Ebonykit playing with her snow-colored tail.

"Yes," she replied, coming to the mother's side, "I think the kits need some sunlight just as much as I do."

Fennelfur gave a soft laugh, "Well, there isn't much to go around; the clouds are abundant today."

"A little light is more than enough for me," Briarsong said in response, looking up at the sky above. However, the leafy branches of trees blocked her view. She tilted her head, trying to get a glimpse of what lay beyond the leaves, and quickly decided that taking a step or two back might help.

"It will take some getting used to," Fennelfur said after observing the brunette, "I know that WindClan doesn't have many trees, so you must be used to seeing the sky clearly. But I can assure you that StarClan is still in the same place it's always been."

Briarsong blinked, realizing what Fennelfur had said and asked, "You believe in StarClan?"

The older queen nodded, "Yes, of course. Though, I'm not too surprised that you may have thought different. There was a time when I didn't believe, after all."

"Really?" Briarsong inquired, her interest peaked. She came closer to Fennelfur, and carefully lowered herself so that she sat close to her.

"Really. That was before I met Copperwind," Fennelfur stated. A small, fond smile graced her lips as she said her mate's name, "He brought me here with my kits, made it so that we were welcomed, and has stayed with me since. I remember him saying 'StarClan must have guided me to you' some time ago, and I'd started wondering if those ancestors of yours are real."

Jaykit toddled around his mother's side, proceeding to plop beside her and begin fiddling with some grass. Fennelfur ran her fingers through his gray hair, "Now, I'm certain that StarClan must exist. And I have everything to thank them for."

Briarsong watched the small interaction between mother and son as she listened to Fennelfur. Jaykit tipped his head up slightly when his mother touched him, and he let out a quiet mew.

"Mom!" the kit squeaked. It was one of the few words he knew, as Briarsong learned that he and his littermates had just turned three a few moons ago.

"Yes, I'm Mom," Fennelfur replied, patting her son's head.

At that moment, Ebonykit finally became bored of toying with the queen's tail, popping up from behind Fennelfur and resting her chin on the woman's shoulder. With shining black eyes, she asked in a loud voice, "Briarsong, do _you_ have a mom?"

"Ebonykit!" Fennelfur scolded, "Remember your courtesy."

The blonde kit hummed in acknowledgement, but quickly turned her attention back to Briarsong, "Do you?"

Briarsong, having been initially surprised, quickly recovered and responded, "Yes, of course I do."

"Really? Where is she? Back in WindClan? Why didn't she come with you?" Ebonykit asked, tilting her head.

"Ebonykit!"

"What? I'm just asking questions! Papa says curiosity is good!"

Briarsong held up her hand in a peaceful gesture, "I don't mind, Fennelfur. Really."

That seemed to put Fennelfur at peace, and the woman let out a quiet sigh before giving her attention back to Jaykit, who had managed to turn up some grass. Ebonykit quickly asked, "Well, Briarsong? What about your mom?"

"My mother, huh?" Briarsong began, "Well, she had to stay back in WindClan, that's true. She's the deputy and—"

"The deputy!" Ebonykit exclaimed with wide eyes, "Wow! You know, Papa's uncle is our deputy! So you're kind of the same as him!"

Briarsong smiled, "Yes, I guess I'm sort of the same."

Although Briarsong had never formally met Duskleap, she had been informed by Copperwind that he was his and Ravenstrike's uncle, their father's younger brother. Briarsong had seen him around sometimes, and Duskleap was always either managing things around camp or arranging patrols. He was hard-working and dedicated; Briarsong knew that much.

"Well, Pap—oh," Ebonykit stopped suddenly, looking up at the sky. Briarsong noticed a bit of moisture on the kit's nose, and realized that it must have been a raindrop. Sure enough, Briarsong felt a plop of wetness on her arm, followed by another on her head, and a few more landing in other places on and around her. Soon, it was lightly raining all over camp.

Fennelfur acknowledged the gentle rainfall and began to stand, carefully lifting herself up and saying, "I suppose it's time to head back into the nursery. It'll be a downpour soon."

That was something that Briarsong knew a lot about. With WindClan's lack of sheltering trees, those caught in the open were often soaked soon after rain began. She looked up, ignoring the raindrops that met her freckled face. The leaves above bent and parted as the rain struck them, revealing more of the sky beyond. The clouds were a light to dark gray, now gathered closely and not allowing even a little sunshine to pass through.

It was strangely comforting to see the gloomy sky, and Briarsong found herself telling Fennelfur, "I think I'll stay out for a little longer. You go ahead."

Fennelfur hesitated, as if she'd wanted to say something in response, but instead simply urged Jaykit to his feet and nudged him towards the nursery. She asked Ebonykit, "Could you get Sandkit and Ivykit from the elders' hut?"

"Mm-hm!" Ebonykit hummed in reply, bouncing up and rushing off as the rain began to fall harder, her lovely gray-and-white tail trailing behind her.

As the blonde girl hurried off, Fennelfur began to enter the nursery, pausing only to say to Briarsong, "Don't stay out too long, okay? It's chilly out, and the rain could give you a cold."

"Cold?" Briarsong questioned, not really knowing what the older queen meant.

"A fever," Fennelfur said, correcting herself, "It wouldn't be good for you or your kits. So be in soon, alright?"

"Okay," Briarsong responded. The way Fennelfur had spoken was somehow familiar, and Briarsong realized that it reminded her of her mother, whom had always looked out for her in her own firm way.

With that said, the white-haired women disappeared into the nursery. Only a few moments later, Ebonykit came back with Sandkit and Ivykit, one toddler in each arm. With the ground quickly becoming slippery with mud and wet grass, the adopted kit was in quite a hurry to get to the shelter of the nursery. Upon seeing Briarsong, she stopped and readjusted her younger siblings. As she did so, she asked, "Why aren't you inside?"

"I'm just enjoying the rain," Briarsong replied, though she wasn't really sure if that was why she'd decided to stay out. Before Ebonykit could say something else, Briarsong questioned her, "Now, shouldn't you get those two into the nursery? Ivykit doesn't seem to like getting her head wet."

"Oh, right!" Ebonykit said as her eyes widened and she looked down at her younger adoptive sister. Noticing how Ivykit had begun to fuss, she quickly entered the nursery.

Now alone, Briarsong sighed and looked around. Most of the other members of ThunderClan had either taken shelter or were simply dealing with the rain. A tall male that Briarsong came to know as Blackmoon was resting against the outside of the warriors' hut, alongside a short, white-haired woman named Glowheart. The two seemed to be ignoring the rain as they conversed, and although Briarsong couldn't make out what they were saying, they certainly looked quite engaged with each other. Something about the way Glowheart absentmindedly toyed with her wet hair and Blackmoon twitched his ears whenever she spoke reminded Briarsong of Smokeclaw and Swiftfall.

She wondered how they were doing now. Were they perhaps mates now? Briarsong knew that she'd only been gone for a quarter-moon, but she knew that things could happen fast in a short amount of time.

 _Just like these kits_ , Briarsong thought, remembering that just last new-leaf, she'd been her normal self. Not pregnant, not helpless, and not having anything to do with Ravenstrike.

Thinking about her old Clan, she wondered if Flowerdusk had given birth yet. The beautiful queen had been awfully close to her time when Briarsong had left. What would those kits look like? Would they have Flowerdusk's lovely auburn hair and Raventail's night-black eyes? Perhaps they would take on their father's fair skin-tone, just a bit darker than Flowerdusk's own pale flesh.

Briarsong blinked, and she was surprised to feel warm liquid trailing down her cheeks, contrasting the cool raindrops that had pelted her. She sighed quietly, realizing that thinking about her old life had been enough to bring on tears. Just then, a kick came from inside of her.

With a half-hearted smile, Briarsong placed her hand on her belly once more, "Looking out for me, huh? You've been kicking more than usual lately."

No response came, and Briarsong supposed that her kits had nothing else to "tell" her, now that she wasn't focused on her depressing thoughts. In all honesty, she'd like more than anything to keep such thoughts away, knowing that they were of no good use. Sighing, Briarsong looked around and her eyes rested on the forest that lay beyond the camp's boundaries. Seeing it, an idea popped into her head.

"A walk sounds nice, doesn't it?" she asked aloud, directed more towards herself than her kits. Nevertheless, she took a slight movement within her as a sign of agreement.

Yes, a walk did sound quite nice. She knew that her mother would to take walks to clear her mind, and wondered if that would work for her as well. As she awkwardly got to her feet, Briarsong felt a rush of restlessness. The idea of a walk had made her realize just how much she needed to be active. For far too long, Briarsong had been mostly stationary due to her pregnancy. As a former WindClanner, she'd been used to running on the wide, open land that was her home almost daily. She hadn't really moved about ever since she'd entered her fourth moon of pregnancy, when her middle had truly begun swelling.

It was raining quite hard as she began waddling towards the entrance of camp. Glowheart and Blackmoon were still out, but they were too busy chatting to notice her.

There was no guard, as one was only appointed during the night. That meant that she didn't have to worry about being stopped. Though she certainly wasn't a prisoner of any sorts, Briarsong knew that most warriors would think twice before allowing a heavily pregnant queen out on her own. But Briarsong was fairly certain that she could manage herself just fine for something as simple as a walk. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to convince a guard of this.

Confidently, she stepped out of the confining camp.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated! Hopefully, this chapter was worth it. A bit of bonding between Briarsong and Fennelfur is nice, right?**

 **Just so everyone knows, there is a new poll up on my profile, so please vote on it when you get time!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Briarsong's favorite food is field mouse.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	19. Sixteen: Starting to Care

**=Ravenstrike=**

"Ravenstrike! Come to the medicine hut! Briarsong's hurt!"

As Applepaw had said this, Ravenstrike could not explain the rush of sudden dread that entered his body. He'd just returned from a patrol, having hoped to get a quick bite of food before the time for the Gathering came. Yet he was now running to the medicine hut, having a plethora of possible situations in which Briarsong was injured racing through his mind. Images of bruises, lacerations, and broken limbs taunted him in his head. He sucked in a breath of dread before entering the medicine hut, mentally preparing himself for what he might see.

Upon entering, he was greeted by the sight of Briarsong, whom was resting on the spare nest that was always kept in the hut. She stared up at him with surprise in her green eyes, due to Ravenstrike's sudden entrance. But he couldn't care less about her shock as he quickly looked her over. For the most part, Briarsong appeared completely fine. She was filthy, having smears of mud, leaves, and other debris all over her. Ravenstrike didn't doubt that there were some bruises and scrapes hidden under all the grime.

After a couple heart-beats of looking her over, Ravenstrike could not locate any type of serious injury and felt the heat of anger claiming him once more. Did Applepaw really need to over-exaggerate?

Before he could turn to snap at the young apprentice, Cedarnose entered behind him and spoke calmly, "She's sprained her ankle. It's a good thing Darkwater found her, or else she'd still be stuck in that creek."

The older male proceeded further into the hut, quickly mixing some of the herbs he was carrying with others in his store. Noticing that Ravenstrike was still standing in the entrance, he called to him, "Well, come on in."

Snapping out of his daze, Ravenstrike narrowed his eyes and approached Briarsong. The brunette queen watched him silently, as if expecting him to blow up at her. Ravenstrike internally laughed, deciding that he'd give her just what she was anticipating.

Sitting before her, he said in a low voice, "Care to explain how the _fuck_ this happened?"

"Language," Cedarnose reminded as he settled down at Briarsong's side. He then offered the herbal mixture to her, saying, "Take these. They'll help with the pain, and I'm sure you'll need the poppy seeds for your exhaustion."

Briarsong gave Ravenstrike a glance before stuffing the herbs into her mouth. Ravenstrike felt his left ear twitch in irritation, realizing that the woman had just done so to avoid speaking to him. Well, unfortunately for her, he wasn't leaving until he got the answers he wanted.

Cedarnose, now satisfied, stood and spoke to Ravenstrike, "Be quick. The poppy seeds should have her asleep within the hour."

 _That's all the time I need,_ Ravenstrike thought. He watched as Cedarnose exited the hut, and then turned to Briarsong. The dirt-covered queen was calmly chewing, seeming to being doing so slowly on purpose. A low growl emitted from Ravenstrike's throat, successfully catching Briarsong's attention and causing her to pause her chewing, her eyes glued to him with a wary look.

Although he didn't know why, Ravenstrike found himself quieting until the growling stopped. Despite the fact that his tail was clearly lashing in a show of his frustration, he decided to tone himself down; at least as much as he could manage to.

As calmly as he could, Ravenstrike asked her, "How did this happen?"

Briarsong seemed to contemplate whether or not she'd answer him, and sure took her damn time doing so. How long did it even take to make such a simple decision? Was there a reason for her to keep quiet? Despite being irritated by her silence, Ravenstrike kept his mouth shut and watched her in anticipation. Apparently, doing so was a good choice, as Briarsong swallowed the herbs and spoke to him.

"I slipped on a tree root," she explained, "I guess I didn't see it."

Ravenstrike immediately questioned, "And just _what_ were you doing outside of camp?"

After a moment's hesitation, Briarsong went on to detail how she'd wanted to take a walk to "clear her thoughts". With every word, Ravenstrike could feel himself becoming more aggravated. Did this woman really think that that was a good excuse? Was she stupid? Any queen would know better than to leave the safety of camp and go into the forest, since there were plenty of ways for one to get hurt. Or perhaps, she wanted to give the appearance of being dumb. That had to be it, some kind of twisted plan to gain some pity. Well, she wouldn't be getting any.

"It sounded like a good idea at the time," Briarsong said. She glanced down at her swollen ankle, "Obviously, I was wr—"

Before she could say anymore, Ravenstrike snapped and lunged forward, grabbing her by the shoulders. Angrily, she shook her, causing her head to swing back and forth, her brown hair becoming even messier than before. As he shook her, Ravenstrike growled, "Obviously, you were a fucking idiot! What the fuck were you even thinking? Going out in the rain on your own? Do you even know what could've happened? Do you understand? Do you _fucking understand_?"

"Ravenstrike!"

Hearing his name, Ravenstrike abruptly stopped shaking the brunette queen, breathing raggedly. He looked at her, and Briarsong looked back at him with wide eyes. The emotion that those green orbs held was not fear, but some form of surprise. It was as if she was trapped in a shocked state, having yet to fully process what had just happened. Her still-wet hair was a complete mess, some of it sticking to her freckled face while most of it looked like it should be a rat's nest.

Ravenstrike, having taken in Briarsong's appearance, quickly let go of her. He stood, backing away from her, and turned to see Copperwind. His brother gave him a look that could only be described as disbelief. Not wanting to face his brother any longer, Ravenstrike brushed passed him, making his way towards the warriors' hut as the sudden desire to lie down overcame him. The ground was still wet beneath him, due to the rain that had fallen earlier. But with the recent event, Ravenstrike couldn't find himself caring about having muddy feet at the moment.

As he continued on, he passed Darkwater, and the younger male said, "Hey, Ravenstrike! How is she?"

It was obvious as to whom Darkwater was referring to, and Ravenstrike remembered Cedarnose mentioning that Darkwater had been the one to find Briarsong. Wanting to get to the hut quickly, he replied, "She's fine."

"Are you sure?" Darkwater asked, "You don't look like she's fine. Is it bad? I'm not sure how long she was in that creek for, after all."

"She's. Fine," Ravenstrike said in a low voice.

The younger warrior then made an observation, "Hey…there's blood on your fingers. Are you alright?"

Growling, Ravenstrike snapped at him, "I'm fucking fine!"

With that said, he stormed on, entering the warriors' hut and leaving Darkwater in a confused state.

* * *

That night was the night of the Gathering, and Ravenstrike had been one of the nekos chosen to go. Honestly, he wasn't sure as to why Oakstar was letting him join the group, considering the whole Briarsong incident. Then again, the leader was known for making unusual choices. Nevertheless, Ravenstrike decided it was best not to protest, despite not wanting to put up with dozens of nekos from other clans, all crowded onto a single island.

Once at the island, Ravenstrike had immediately gone for an area of the island that he knew few nekos would settle in. The area was small, and always uncomfortable due to all the tiny pebbles that lay scattered across the ground. Sitting on them would leave small marks in one's skin, and they felt like dull thorns. Despite this, Ravenstrike gratefully sat down in that spot, happy that so few nekos wanted to be there.

Having settled down, Ravenstrike looked around at the crowd.

Rabbitfoot and Moonspot were listening to a vain RiverClan female named Whiteflower, and Ravenstrike could see Moonspot look at Rabbitfoot and roll her eyes as the RiverClanner told a story.

A few fox-lengths away, Ravenstrike saw three WindClan apprentices chatting with two, young ShadowClan warriors. One of the apprentices, a small boy with blonde hair, held out his arm. One of the ShadowClanners, Paleflash, held out her own arm. Ravenstrike guessed that they were comparing muscle. To put it lightly, Paleflash was far more muscular than the WindClan apprentice, much to his obvious embarrassment as his companions laughed.

Something about the youngsters' laughter wasn't right, however. It was almost as if the two apprentices were straining themselves to fully enjoy the moment. Ravenstrike tilted one ear as he pondered on what could possibly make the apprentices act in such a way. He didn't dwell on it for too long, however. What went on in the lives of others had nothing to do with him; certainly not if they were from a different clan. For some reason, he far more sure of this than he had in the past, before Briarsong had entered his life permanently.

As soon as Briarsong had entered his mind, Ravenstrike instantly pushed the thoughts away. He didn't want to think about the queen anymore, nor did he want to think about the blood that had been left on his fingers from when he'd grabbed her. And so, he resorted to continuing his neko-watching until the reports began.

Ripplestar of RiverClan had very little to report. A woman named Waterleaf was now expecting, and had moved to the nursery. Meanwhile, Goldenstar spoke of ShadowClan's own pregnant female, Dewflower. Hearing the beautiful queen's name would have normally caused Ravenstrike to cringe, but he found himself feeling nothing more than slightly uncomfortable.

Once the congratulations towards Dewflower, whom was present at the Gathering, died down, Eaglestar stepped up. Immediately, Ravenstrike noticed something off about the leader. As he got to his feet, Eaglestar seemed to lose his balance for a heart-beat, before regaining it, yet continuing to sway where he stood. His appearance was disheveled, and he'd obviously lost some hair, as the moon's soft light reflected off of the bare spots on his scalp.

The leader spoke in a rough voice, "WindClan is well. We are well because we have rid ourselves of a liar and traitor, Briarsong, who carried half-Clan kits."

If Eaglestar's appearance hadn't been enough to stir some whispers, his announcement and strange way of speaking certainly caused a bit of an uproar. Ravenstrike sat up while others spoke amongst themselves, watching the leader carefully. Eaglestar was obviously bothered by all the chatter. The man squeezed his eyes shut and brought his hands to his ears before wiping them across his face, pulling at his own cheeks.

He shook his head in an odd way before roaring at the crowd, "Shut up! Everyone shut up!"

But the only ones who obeyed were the present WindClanners. They were all very wary-looking, seeming almost afraid of their leader. Was this what Briarsong had dealt with before she'd left WindClan?

Ravenstrike couldn't help but pick up a few of the hushed conversations, and he wasn't at all pleased. As his ears swiveled around, he'd catch remarks and assumptions being made about Briarsong.

"Honestly, don't young women have any self-respect these days?" a ShadowClan elder asked.

"Briarsong, huh? I've always thought she looked a bit promiscuous, if you know what I mean," a RiverClan male said.

"Ugh, who would ever want to carry half-Clan kits?" an older apprentice questioned.

"I wonder whose kits she's carrying, a RiverClanner' perhaps?" asked a ShadowClan female. The response came from Dewflower, whom Ravenstrike couldn't help but overhear due to how loudly she spoke.

"No, of course not. It's a loner or kittypet. Her mother's quite the slut for barn cats, from what I hear. Like mother, like daughter, no doubt," Dewflower stated as if what she'd said was pure fact.

Hearing this, Ravenstrike growled, the sound emitting from low in his throat. He didn't like the sound of anything these nekos were saying. They barely knew Briarsong, so what right did they have to assume things about her? With each new remark, his growling grew louder. Finally, he was ready to open his mouth and snap at the nearest offender in Briarsong's defense, but Oakstar called everyone's attention at that moment.

Once things had quieted down, Oakstar spoke in a calm, leveled tone, "As Eaglestar says, Briarsong was evicted from WindClan. And so, ThunderClan has taken her in."

The leader was likely about to make more announcements, but Eaglestar let out an angered cry, effectively catching everyone off guard.

"Took her in?! You took her in?!" Eaglestar hissed, "No! You cannot!"

Even as Eaglestar took on a threatening appearance, Oakstar remained calm and simply stated, "It has been done, Eaglestar. She is ThunderClan's responsibility now."

"No!" Eaglestar roared, stomping his foot like a fussing kit. He then looked up and pointed at the sky, "Look! Look! StarClan is not pleased!"

Everyone, including Ravenstrike, looked upwards. Dark, wispy clouds were moving in front of the full, glowing moon. The island became darker as the moon's light dimmed behind the clouds. Ravenstrike blinked as he saw this. Was StarClan truly upset about Briarsong becoming part of ThunderClan? He supposed that he should be happy, as this was an opportunity for him to rid himself of the queen's presence. But he instead felt a deep concern that he couldn't really explain. He _should_ be happy, after all.

The other nekos in the crowd began worriedly whispering to each other. Hearing the doubt that filled the clearing obviously pleased Eaglestar, and he turned to Goldenstar and Ripplestar, saying to them, "Do you see? ThunderClan is upsetting StarClan. This could mean ruin for us all!"

Goldenstar glanced at the sky, appearing to actually be considering what the WindClan leader was saying. Ripplestar looked a bit more hesitant, however. Seeing this, Oakstar quickly intervened.

"If StarClan did not approve of my decision, they would have sent a sign to Cedarnose. Why wait until the Gathering to show their disapproval?" he reasoned. This seemed to settle most of the ThunderClanners, whom fully trusted the word of their leader. Ravenstrike felt himself calm down as he heard this. Oakstar's reasoning sounded right, after all. Why would StarClan wait so long to say that they didn't like the choice ThunderClan had made?

Eaglestar growled at Oakstar, "To tell all the Clans! A warning to everyone! WindClan, ThunderClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan; no Clan is to take in the traitor! Anyone who does will surely anger StarClan, and everyone will be punished! Why should all suffer for one?"

This seemed to catch Goldenstar's attention, and Ravenstrike remembered that the woman was extremely superstitious, even more so than the medicine holders, possibly. The ShadowClan leader bore a worried expression and said to Oakstar, "Perhaps this is true. Why must you risk the safety of everyone for one queen?"

Oakstar's tail twitched irritably, "I am risking no one's safety. What danger can she possibly pose?"

"It might not be her," Goldenstar said, seeming to be fully convinced now, "What if her kits are the danger? After all, it's said that the ancient medicine holder, Goosefeather, received a warning about Tigerstar before he was born. What if this is one such warning? Who knows what those kits grow up to be."

"Precisely," Oakstar said, "Who knows? We cannot assume what a kit will be before they are born."

Eaglestar snapped at him, "We can if StarClan is warning us about them! And they are! Surely Briarsong must be exiled from all the clans before the kits are born!"

Goldenstar quickly gave her agreement, "Eaglestar is right. We cannot risk any threat to the Clans."

"Threat? You call a pregnant queen and her unborn kits a threat?" Oakstar questioned incredulously. He then looked to Ripplestar, "You do not believe such nonsense, do you?"

Ripplestar, appearing uncertain, said, "Though I am not fully convinced, there is always a chance…"

Disgusted, Oakstar turned to the crowd and spoke in a loud, clear voice, "ThunderClan will hear no more. This Gathering is over."

With that said, the man jumped down from the tree, landing neatly on his feet, proceeding across the clearing in the direction of the tree-bridge. Quietly, hesitantly, ThunderClanners stood and followed Oakstar. Taking this as his cue, Ravenstrike got to his feet and joined his clanmates, happy to leave the Gathering behind. This meeting had been disastrous, and it was all Ravenstrike could do to not turn and growl a curse at Eaglestar as the man began ranting once more.

"Look! They know what they are doing! Why else would they run away?" he cried with twisted reasoning.

 _Isn't it obvious? We're leaving to get away from you and whatever bees are on your brain,_ Ravenstrike thought with a hiss.

* * *

Once back home, as most members of ThunderClan settled down for sleep, Ravenstrike made a visit to the nursery. Fennelfur was outside, simply resting against the outer wall of the nursery. She looked up as he approached.

"Isn't it a bit late to change out the moss in Briarsong's nest?" she asked knowingly. She watched as Ravenstrike narrowed his eyes at her. Although he gave off a mean appearance, Fennelfur could see a mixture of guilt and embarrassment in his dark eyes.

With a small, almost unnoticeable smile, she told him, "She's asleep, and so are Bloodheart and the kits. Be sure not to wake them."

Ravenstrike seemed to relax a bit, and he uttered a quiet "thanks" before entering the nursery. Fennelfur watched him go, and went back to resting once he was inside. Of course, she knew why he was making such a late visit, with no duties to attend to. She'd seen the marks on Briarsong's shoulders after the woman was cleaned up, and knew that no one other than Ravenstrike could be responsible, especially with the way he'd exited the medicine hut.

But she felt no reason to keep him away from her. Ravenstrike was a threat to no one but himself, after all. Besides, it was clear that he cared for Briarsong, or else he wouldn't have reacted to her injury so strongly.

Fennelfur heard footsteps approaching, and glanced up to see her mate, Copperwind coming towards her. She was quiet as he reached her and settled down beside her, pressing his shoulder against hers. She hummed softly, enjoying the warmth that her mate had brought with him. It was autumn, or "leaf-fall" as the Clans called it, and the night's air was quite chilly.

Copperwind spoke up, "So, what are we going to do about this? It's obvious that Ravenstrike cares about Briarsong—he's just too stubborn to acknowledge it."

Shifting closer to him, Fennelfur replied, "Well, we can't do too much. Forcing love never works out; plus, I'm sure they'd notice at some point."

"Right," Copperwind said, "So we should just guide them subtly, and let them do the rest."

"Exactly," Fennelfur agreed, turning so that she could wrap her arms around Copperwind. The man brought his arm around her, holding her close.

Copperwind pressed his nose into Fennelfur's snow-white hair, and she felt his warm breathe as he spoke, "It's almost like teaching a kit how to walk."

"Mm," the queen purred, "You were very good at that. Sandkit wouldn't walk to me for anything—except for milk, that is."

She felt her mate smile into her hair, and Copperwind only responded to her with his own purring as he kissed her head softly.

Tomorrow, their plan would begin.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Well, this was longer than I thought it'd be. I threw in some CopperFennel fluff just for the fun of it, because who doesn't love fluff? Plus, they're definitely on Team RavenBriar!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Eaglestar is currently suffering from a brain tumor.**

 **Be sure to vote on my poll for which pairing you like the best! Also, please review! The more reviews I get means the more motivated I am to continue this story! Do it for the kits!**

 **To** **Guest: I cannot contact you through PM if I don't know your username!**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	20. Seventeen: Beginning to Connect

**~Briarsong~**

Briarsong hissed as a set of long, pale fingers gently pressed the flesh of her shoulders. She was still sore from the day before, and that pain wasn't just in her sprained ankle. There were wounds in her shoulders from none other than Ravenstrike, whom had shaken her pretty hard when he found out about her little venture. Apparently, his grip had been stronger than she'd thought, as she'd realized she was bleeding shortly after he left. And, despite the poultice that Cedarnose had given her, the flesh around her wounds was still sore after a night of sleep.

"Oh, sorry, dear," Berryspring said, having noticed Briarsong's wince, "I just wanted to see how bad it was."

"It's okay. It's not as bad as I made it sound. I've never been good at handling pain, that's all," Briarsong replied reassuringly. That wasn't a lie, either. Ever since she was a kit, she could remember bawling her eyes out at something as small as a thorn getting stuck in her foot. Of course, she was much better at tolerating pain now than she was back then, but that difference wasn't really much.

Despite her words, Berryspring still bore an apologetic expression mixed with pity. Removing her hands from the queen's shoulders, she said, "I'm so sorry, dear. Ravenstrike…he's been so _angry_ lately, but that's not who he really is, truly. I just hope that you don't see us all badly because of his temper."

"What? No, you're all wonderful," Briarsong insisted. Seeing the look on the older woman's face made her heart ache a bit, as Berryspring's eyes were filled with a deep sorrow that couldn't be ignored. And Briarsong was telling the truth for the most part. Despite being from a different Clan and having broken the warrior code, everyone in ThunderClan had welcomed her with open arms. Well, almost everyone. There were a few who were suspicious of her, but she honestly expected that. So it wasn't that big of a deal.

Then, of course, there was Ravenstrike.

Briarsong was fully aware of how he felt about her, if his actions were anything to go by. For some reason, he just didn't want to believe that the kits she carried were his. That was a big blow, considering that she'd only ever mated with him. But after the previous day, she wasn't too sure if she wanted to try convincing him into believing. The man was violent-natured, and had been ever since they first met. It was like a tug-of-war, how her mind was trying to figure out the situation. One part of her didn't want to risk another outburst, but another part of her couldn't deny that she wanted him to be the father that her kits would need. That, plus the fact that she always felt an odd, fluttery sensation in her belly whenever she saw him. It wasn't like the feeling of her unborn kits moving about. No, it was something else entirely, and she wasn't quite sure what that something was.

"That's good to know, dear," Berryspring said, her tone sounding lighter after hearing Briarsong's high opinion.

Briarsong smiled at the blonde female. This woman was a kind one, and it was obvious that Copperwind got his nature from her. Seeing the softness of the two reminded Briarsong of that one, tender moment that she shared with Ravenstrike after they had mated. He'd had the same gentleness in his eyes at that time, and Briarsong wondered where that had gone.

 _No,_ she thought, _it's still there. It's just not for me._

If what Berryspring had said was anything to go by, then Ravenstrike had to be kind. Briarsong had seen that kindness first-hand, after all. And kindness wasn't something that could just vanish. No, it was still there. Surely it was there.

"Hey," a rough-sounding voice called. Briarsong jumped, startled by the suddenness of it, and looked up to see none other than Ravenstrike standing over her. The man looked somewhat annoyed, an expression that Briarsong was gradually becoming used to. In his hands, he held a small bowl, likely carved from one of the many fallen trees that were scattered throughout the forest.

Unsure of what he wanted, Briarsong asked, "What is it?"

"Fennelfur said she hasn't seen you eat all day," Ravenstrike said, "So here."

With that, he bent down to her level and shoved the bowl towards her. Briarsong looked in it, seeing a good-sized hunk of meat being presented to her. She automatically sniffed, taking in the scent of the food. Immediately, she turned her head away and pushed the bowl from her face.

Ravenstrike pulled back slightly, confused by her response, "Hah? What's wrong with you?"

"Ravenstrike, don't sound so gruff!" Berryspring scolded. She then turned her attention to Briarsong, leaning forward to observe the young queen's face, "You do look a little green, dear. Are you alright?"

Briarsong didn't have time to answer. She could still smell the meat that had been put before her. Her belly had immediately churned when the scent had reached her nostrils. Normally, she would have welcomed the smell of such a savory meal. But being pregnant, her olfactory senses weren't like usual, and the slightly browned meat had smelled absolutely rank to her.

She did her best to give Berryspring a warning, wanting the older woman to move away before the inevitable happened, but it was too late. Her stomach heaved, she felt the bile rise up into her throat, and had a sensation that was almost like choking when she tried to hold it in. Unable to keep the fluids inside, she opened her mouth and reflexively shut her eyes tight as she vomited.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered the immediate responses from the two nekos beside her. Berryspring had jumped back as soon as she realized what was happening, and had gotten up to race to the medicine hut. Ravenstrike shouted a curse, throwing the bowl to the side in favor of getting to his knees and leaning over Briarsong, placing a hand on her back and asking her something that she didn't quite hear.

No, she was too busy emptying her already void stomach. On her hands and knees, she was unable to do anything to stop the liquids from leaving her body. It was a short moment of sickness, but it felt like an eternity to her. Her throat burned as the bitter, acidic vomit shot out, feeling as if it'd never get a break from the stress of forcing up what was meant to stay down. Tears welled up in her eyes, falling down her cheeks even as they were shut so tight that she thought her eyelids might just crush each other.

It was over just as fast as it had started. She dry-heaved for a few heart-beats, as if her stomach wanted to make sure every last bit of remaining matter had gone. When she opened her eyes, she could see the pool of vomit below her through wet lashes. Most of it was greenish-yellow liquid, as she really hadn't eaten much of anything all day. There was a bitter taste at the back of her throat and coating her tongue. Disgusted by the taste, she spit onto the ground a few times before her stomach finally stopped trying to force up more liquids.

Shuddering, she sat back, trying not to look at the mess she'd made. She used her arm to wipe away the strings of mucus and saliva that stuck to her lips. It was then that Berryspring came back, a bundle of herbs in her hands. The blonde woman glanced down at the puddle of vomit, but only twitched her ears at the sight of it before quickly giving her attention to Briarsong. She came forward, kneeling beside the young queen.

"Take these, and then it's back to the nursery to get you cleaned up," she said in a very maternal tone, holding out the herbs with a patient expression.

Briarsong didn't say anything in protest, mainly because she felt too weak after all that straining. Obediently, she reached out and took the herbs, grateful for the balsamic scent, and the leafy taste that did a fairly good job of eliminating the bitterness that had been left on her tongue.

As if sensing Briarsong's relief, Berryspring said, "There we are. Much better, right? It's a good thing that Cedarnose is always ready for sickness when there are pregnant queens around. Now, let's get you to the nursery."

A groan was the only thing that came out in response as Briarsong began to stand. Her head was beginning to ache and her legs were as wobbly as a newborn fawn's. She thought nothing of leaning on the neko nearest to her, as she had been required to do since she'd first sprained her ankle. It was still tender, despite the three days that had passed. One large hand rested gently on her back while another met the hand that she'd put on the neko's shoulder, using it to balance herself.

"Don't rush her, Ravenstrike," Berryspring warned, "Take it nice and slow."

* * *

With a satisfying crunch, Briarsong took a good-sized bite from the apple in her hands. A few hours had passed since she'd gotten sick, and her belly had settled quite well by dusk. She was now leisurely resting against the outside of the nursery, watching as the youngsters engaged themselves in a game of mossball. Her tail lifted, curled, and laid back down repeatedly as she observed the game, feeling quite content.

Ebonykit jumped at Hazelpaw's feet, batting at the ball of moss that was there and tossed it towards Wolfkit. The boy smiled brightly as he saw the ball coming at him, and he quickly smacked it, sending it over to his sister. Before it could reach her, though, a larger hand intercepted the ball and threw it to Ivykit.

"Hey! That's not fair, Papa!" Ebonykit said loudly, although she clearly had no problem with her father's intervention.

Copperwind flashed a smile at her, "What? I only threw it."

"Yeah, he only threw it," Hazelpaw agreed, grinning with the pleasure of having her father on her side.

It was at this moment that Ivykit tossed the ball as far as she could, which wasn't too far considering her short arms and lack of strength. Still, the action caught Ebonykit's eye and she quickly moved to pick up the ball to fling it over to Shortpaw, whom had joined in the game not too long ago.

Briarsong smiled as she chewed, feeling warmed by the sight of simple play. It reminded her of her days back in WindClan, when she was a kit herself. However, the smile on her face seemed to catch the attention of the male sitting beside her.

"What are you smiling about?" Ravenstrike asked in his usual grumbling voice.

Being used to the tone, she swallowed and smoothly answered, "I'm just remembering when I was like them."

"Like them?"

"Yes, like them," Briarsong said with a nod, "Being a kit and playing games with my brothers like nothing else in the world mattered."

As she said this, she rested a hand on her belly, knowing that those innocent thoughts were anything but the truth now. Of course, many things mattered more than a simple game of mossball. But the days when she didn't have to worry about such things were ones that she found herself missing sometimes.

Ravenstrike hummed in response, his eyes slightly narrowed although he didn't seem to want to say anything. Briarsong glanced at him. He seemed relaxed. But she'd seen how he'd been unwilling to leave her alone after she'd gotten sick. How he hovered over her for a good hour until Bloodheart told him to go and do something more productive than worry. He'd listened, albeit reluctantly, and left Briarsong alone for a good while.

She suspected that he hadn't known that she was fully aware of what was going on, considering how out of it she'd been. After all, that was the sickest she'd been in a long time, and she had trouble settling herself after that. That, or he'd simply been too worried to care. Briarsong had seen the clear concern in his eyes, had felt they he'd rubbed his hand is small circles on her back. He was so gentle in that moment, just like how he'd been moons ago.

Suddenly, Wolfkit flung the mossball in the wrong direction, and it struck Ravenstrike in the face. Briarsong's eyes widened as she saw him jump slightly, being just as startled as he was. She turned to look at the young ones, all of whom were staring at Ravenstrike as if he were a monster heading right towards them. Copperwind appeared wary, seemingly unsure of what his brother's reaction might be.

For a moment, it looked like Ravenstrike might yell at the kits, his dark eyes clouding with irritation and his brow knitting. But the anger that everyone had expected disappeared as quickly as it came, and he let out a sigh.

"Watch where you're aiming," he said with only slight annoyance. He picked up the offending ball and tossed it straight up, before batting it towards Wolfkit once it started falling back down. The mossball hit the boy in the chest, and he scrambled to catch it.

Copperwind blinked, apparently surprised. He recovered quickly though, and turned to the children, "Well, let's carry on, shall we?"

"But Uncle just gave you guys a lead," Ebonykit said with a pout. Her face immediately brightened as she said, "So we're gonna have to beat you!"

Ravenstrike leaned back, folding his arms. He seemed to observe the group for a heartbeat before looking to Hazelpaw, a smirk that Briarsong might dare call playful adorning his face, "Kill 'em, Hazelpaw."

The tanned apprentice's eyes widened before she smiled and said to Wolfkit, "Well, what are you waiting for? Throw it!"

Quickly, the game was set back in motion. Ebonykit trying to snatch the ball away every time Copperwind got near it, Ravenkit jumping to block her brother at every turn, and Sandkit squealing with delight whenever his father did some kind of trick to confuse the kits. It was an odd form of controlled chaos, with the sounds of laughter and frustration mixing together into wonderful nonsense. All the while, Ravenstrike watched, his typical annoyed expression seeming to give nothing away. But Briarsong could see how his lips twitched when Hazelpaw would catch the ball, and how his ears perked forward when Jaykit narrowly avoided by stepped on by Ravenkit.

The tenderness that she remembered was still there. Briarsong was sure of it. It was merely hidden by a rough, an irritatingly stubborn exterior.

At one point, Ravenstrike glanced at her and asked, "You're making that look again. What's with you?"

Briarsong let a small smile curve her lips and replied, "Nothing."

She took another bite of her apple, enjoying the crunch that came with it. It was a fairly large one, filling both her palms as she held it. It had a lovely, red color towards the top that faded into a light green at the bottom. Most importantly, it had a wonderfully sweet taste that blossomed with delightful flavor on her tongue.

"You could have told me that you had an aversion to rabbit meat, you know," Ravenstrike griped, watching as she ate.

Swallowing the bit of apple, Briarsong replied, "How was I supposed to know that you'd go out and catch one? ThunderClan doesn't usually prey on rabbits, right?"

Ravenstrike didn't respond, simply uttering something under his breath and turning back to watch his clanmates as they played. Briarsong didn't mind how he'd reacted, and bit into her apple once more. The aversion she'd developed at appeared not too soon after she'd found out that she was pregnant, and had avoided rabbit meat like greencough. She could still remember how she'd first realized her sudden distaste for the prey, having all but thrown her guts up when Smokeclaw offered some to her. She certainly hadn't expected to face her aversion once more after becoming part of ThunderClan, since rabbits didn't usually play a big part in their diet.

She looked at Ravenstrike, scanning him silently as she chewed. It was definitely odd that he'd caught a rabbit, something that Fennelfur had made a remark on after Briarsong had gotten sick. She could tell that he wasn't exactly made for speed alone, having a powerful body that was more suited for strength and force, much like most other ThunderClanners. That, plus the fact that there were many hazards in the forested territory, making it very easy to trip and break something while chasing such a fast creature.

A thought popped into her head, and she found herself asking, "Hey…how did you know that I like apples?"

That must have caught Ravenstrike off guard, because she saw his eyes widen at the question. His body tensed up, and for a moment, she wondered if that was the wrong question to ask. Worst case scenario, she could have very well set him back into his anger-fueled, rough state. She stared at him as he appeared to be thinking, his eyes hard and focused for a long five heartbeats.

"Someone mentioned it to me," he finally replied.

"Who?" Briarsong asked tentatively, but received no response. Ravenstrike purposefully ignored her, putting all his attention towards the group before him.

Hazelpaw laughed with victory as Ebonykit admitted defeat.

* * *

Eaglestar hadn't come out of his hut all day. The man was likely still fuming over the news about Briarsong. That, and what Goldenstar had said to him after ThunderClan had left last night's Gathering. Much to everyone's surprise, the ShadowClan leader had stated that she shared Eaglestar's worries, and then made a public promise to keep an eye on ThunderClan. Eaglestar had grinned like a madman when she'd said that, and Addertail was beginning to believe that he truly was one.

He thought about this as he cradled Fallowkit, his new and only niece, in his arms. She'd been born only two sunrises ago, and was the sweetest thing he'd ever laid eyes on. Soft, red hair adorned her little head, and a set of big, innocent eyes gazed at the world with wonder. She was easily the quietest in her litter, as Stormkit and Rowankit cried far louder and more often than she. That was something that Addertail was relieved about. Eaglestar seemed to have lost a lot of tolerance for crying, and he yelled enough when it was just two kits bawling. He never seemed to realize that shouting at a kit would only make them cry harder.

Addertail glanced up, peering through a whole that had yet to be fixed in the nursery's roof. It was cloudy, and he could only make out a few stars here and there. He wondered if the clouds had been sent by StarClan as a show of their displeasure with Eaglestar's actions. He hoped so, as he couldn't imagine that any warrior of StarClan could be alright with what had been happening. If that was the case, then it must be clearer over ThunderClan's territory. Clearer for Briarsong.

He closed his eyes, sending a silent wish for the woman's safety and happiness to StarClan, as he did every night since she left. She'd made a simple mistake, one that many others had made, but had paid a big price. But he was sure that ThunderClan was treating her well, if Oakstar's words were anything to go by. More than that, he was fairly certain that that dark-haired warrior, Ravenstrike, was doing just as Addertail had asked him.

They'd had a chance meeting earlier in the day. Addertail had been on patrol, and was a bit behind the rest of the group. It just so happened that he was on the ThunderClan border, and spotted a familiar figure. Lo and behold, Ravenstrike was there, appearing troubled as he trudged along. Before Addertail had been able to stop himself, he'd called out to him.

" _Hello!"_

That one word had immediately caught the ThunderClanner's attention, and Ravenstrike stood up straight and tall after spotting him. The look in his eyes said what Addertail already knew; that he wasn't liked by this particular man. Still, the damage had been done, and Addertail had gone on to ask him how things were in ThunderClan and such, earning half-hearted and vague answers in response. He hadn't been bothered by Ravenstrike's bitter, yet cautious nature, as he supposed the man had good reason to be that way. Of course, he'd ended up asking about Briarsong, as he couldn't help but do.

The response had been an immediate, short growl of, _"She's fine."_

Ravenstrike appeared angered after that, and turned away, beginning to stomp off. That was when Addertail remembered something and shouted out to him once more.

" _She likes apples! They've been her favorite since she started showing!"_

The ThunderClan male did not turn around, or give any indication that he'd heard him. But Addertail was certain that he had, as he'd shouted fairly loudly. And despite the man's gruffness, Addertail knew that Briarsong was in good hands. Ravenstrike was rough around the edges, but Addertail had seen the way his eyes had sparked with an internal fire when Briarsong was mentioned. The man was passionate about her, cared about her, and that was enough to soothe some of Addertail's worries. So long as that man loved her, she would be safe.

He let out a restrained, bitter laugh. It was almost ironic how his love had merely delayed ruin for Briarsong, and Ravenstrike's was going to fix it. In a way, Addertail supposed that it was for the best. Briarsong needed someone with such fiery passion to match her smooth nature.

Glancing down, he noticed that Fallowkit had fallen asleep in his arms, having pushed her face into the crook of his elbow, likely trying to shield herself from the leaf-fall chill. It was getting closer and closer to leaf-bare everyday now.

"Here, she's out like a flame," Addertail whispered, leaning over to place the kit beside her brothers in their mother's nest.

Flowerdusk blinked at him with tired, teal eyes, "Thanks, Addertail. I don't know how I'm gonna repay you after they're old enough to handle themselves."

"There's no need. I'm happy doing this sort of thing," Addertail assured her, offering a warm smile.

"Of course you are," Flowerdusk said tiredly, ending her sentence with a yawn, "You always have been."

Addertail bade her a quick goodnight before leaving the nursery, moving carefully as to not wake any of the sleeping kits or queens. Once outside, he glanced towards Eaglestar's hut. A tilt of an ear allowed him to hear that the man was still mumbling nonsensical things to himself, likely pacing around as he did so. Addertail shook his head, not wanting to think about his leader's craziness anymore.

With the cloudy night around him, he limped to the warrior's hut.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Holy crap, it has been way too long since I posted an update. So I hope that this over 3k-word chapter can help make it up to you guys. I hope to update again really soon, but I have to get to** _ **"Path"**_ **first. Hopefully, this can hold you over until next time!**

 **Oh yeah, and Fennelfur totally told Ravenstrike that Briarsong hadn't eaten all day on purpose, in case anyone's wondering. Though, I'm sure she feels guilty about what it led to.**

 **Does anyone know why Ravenstrike was so calm about getting in the face with a ball of moss? If you guess correctly, you get cookies!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **I came up with theme songs for each of the main pairings, and CopperFennel's is** _ **"Lucky"**_ **by Jason Mraz.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	21. Eighteen: Eyes On You

**=Ravenstrike=**

Ravenstrike crossed his arms, trying to ignore the cold of the oncoming leaf-bare as he watched his apprentice. The girl seemed uncomfortable, as her tail twitched with uncertainty along with her fingers. She'd been standing like this for a good few minutes, and Ravenstrike's patience was running thin. They didn't have time to wait around like this, since they were still on patrol and needed to catch up with the rest of the group.

"Well?" he asked, trying his best to hold down his annoyance. He'd been making an honest effort to have more tolerance with Hazelpaw, as Ravenstrike had noticed that the girl wouldn't do much if she was met with a snippy attitude. She was just as hard-headed as any other apprentice, perhaps even more.

Hazelpaw looked at his with a slight glare, "How am I supposed to do it with someone watching?"

Ravenstrike sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "The same damn way everyone else does it. You just _do_."

That didn't seem to be enough for the ginger-haired girl, as she drew her face into what almost looked like a pout. With flattened ears, she said, "Well, you could at least turn around."

"Great StarClan, give me patience," Ravenstrike muttered. He set his dark gaze on his apprentice and said, "Look, if you do it where you are, I won't see a thing. So just crouch and let go."

Hazelpaw shifted on her feet, "Turn around."

"No. I have to make sure you do it right," the warrior retorted. That, of course, was mostly the truth. As her mentor, it was Ravenstrike's job to supervise the girl, and that included making sure that she marked a border correctly. There was that, and the fact that Ravenstrike didn't want to give in and turn around because his _apprentice_ , who was only ten years old, told him to.

"How can I do it wrong?" Hazelpaw asked in a rhetorical tone.

"Exactly, how can you do it wrong? There's only one damn way to know, and that's if you just do it already!" Ravenstrike snapped, completely abandoning the idea of patience, his tail lashing with clear irritation.

It seemed that Hazelpaw was fed-up as well, as she cried out, "Fine!"

With that, the girl quickly crouched down and took a breath before beginning to mark the border. Foliage covered her from view for the most part, as her mentor could only see her calves and feet, something that likely made her feel a bit better about the situation. Ravenstrike watched carefully, making sure that there wasn't a glint of wetness running down her legs in the sunlight. She seemed to do well, until Ravenstrike realized that she'd been marking the border for far too long.

"Hazelpaw, stop! You're doing too much!" Ravenstrike told her. It was never good to over-scent a border, as the other Clans seemed to take it as a threat or means of intimidation. Considering the hostile way ShadowClan had been acting recently, Hazelpaw's mistake could lead to more trouble than Ravenstrike was willing to deal with at the moment.

The girl looked up, peering over the leaves of the fern before her, "What? Why?"

"Damn it, girl, you can't do that much! Cut it off and save it for later," Ravenstrike replied, hoping that there wasn't so much that ShadowClan wouldn't pay too much mind to the amount of ThunderClan scent that Hazelpaw would leave behind.

It seemed as if Hazelpaw was a bit surprised by his words, but nonetheless muttered an 'okay' and began to stand. Before she was fully up, however, she fell forward, letting out a yelp as she did. The sound was enough to catch Ravenstrike off-guard, and he found himself rushing forward to check on his apprentice before he actually thought about it. Reaching her, Ravenstrike felt a rush of relief to find that the girl was perfectly fine, albeit surprised.

With his concern gone, Ravenstrike felt oncoming annoyance at Hazelpaw's clumsiness. Kneeling beside her, he said in an exasperated tone, "Just how in StarClan's skies did you trip over nothing?"

Hazelpaw, with some dirt clinging to her face, sat up and looked at him with narrowed eyes. Defensively, she growled, "I didn't trip! Something pushed me!"

"Really, ThunderClan apprentices are so clumsy."

Hearing a new voice, Ravenstrike snapped to attention, his ears perked in alarm. Looking passed his apprentice, he saw a young girl who could be no more than fifteen on the other side of the border; a ShadowClan apprentice. The girl bore a smug look, something that made Ravenstrike realize that she was undoubtedly the one who pushed Hazelpaw. None too soon after noticing her, two more figures made an appearance, coming into view as if they were melting from the shadows. Staying true to the nature of ShadowClan, no doubt.

One of the new arrivals, a fair-skinned man, rested his hand on the apprentice's shoulder. In a chastising tone, he said, "Now, Nightpaw, what have I said about being nice?"

"But they're ThunderClan," Nightpaw said matter-of-factly, as if that truly made a difference in how she should act.

"She's right," the woman beside the man said, "Only nekos deserve kindness. ThunderClanners are just foxes in disguise."

"What did you just say?!" Hazelpaw asked in a furious tone. The girl was about to jump up, but was stopped when Ravenstrike pushed her back with one arm. Although he wanted nothing more than to teach the three a lesson himself, Ravenstrike knew it wasn't wise. It would be him and a ten-year-old against an older apprentice and two warriors. Even as his fingers itched to grab onto the short-haired woman's throat, he had to admit that fighting them wouldn't have a good outcome.

"Ooh, I think I know you," the woman said, pointing at Ravenstrike, "You're Ravenstrike, right? What's with that face? Angry isn't a good look, you know."

Clearly seeing her companion's words as an opportunity, Nightpaw jumped in to tease the ThunderClanners some more, "You're right, Tigerflower, he does look mad. But doesn't all of ThunderClan look like a bunch of badgers?"

Ravenstrike felt his ears press back with anger, wanting nothing more than to teach the two to keep their mouths shut. However, he was still thinking clearly, and decided that it would be a good idea to just leave the group behind, not wanting to stoop to the level of the two idiots. He stood up, passing a glance towards the man who stood behind his clanmates. A feeling of disgust came over him as he saw how the male had stepped back a bit, clearly having no intention of stopping his companions, despite the look of discomfort on his face.

No longer wanting to see the coward and his nasty friends, Ravenstrike reached down to take hold of Hazelpaw's arm, ready to pull her to her feet and usher her away. Just at that moment, however, the ShadowClan apprentice made another snide remark.

"Where are you going? Back to your camp and that WindClan reject?" Nightpaw asked tauntingly, sounding quite smug as she spoke.

Just like that, a hot wave of anger came over Ravenstrike, and he was just about to snap at the teenager before he felt Hazelpaw retch her arm out of his hold. He watched in shock as his apprentice leaped at the older girl, clearly aiming to harm her.

"You flea-pelt, take that back!" Hazelpaw hissed, reaching out towards Nightpaw's face, her claws poised to do some damage.

Ravenstrike's attention wasn't on his charge, however. No, instead he focused on the sight of the female warrior, Tigerflower. The woman had immediately reached down upon seeing Hazelpaw charging forward, and she raised a section of a broken branch, prepared to slam the heavy-looking object onto Hazelpaw's head.

Seeing her lift the branch up was the last thing Ravenstrike remembered before he was suddenly over the border, clutching the woman's wrist with a harsh grip, stopping her from moving the branch downward. Tigerflower's eyes widened upon feeling his hand on her wrist, and it seemed that she only then realized how out-sized she was. With hot fury still burning within him, Ravenstrike ignored the sudden fear in the woman's eyes and fixed her with a hard glare.

"You will _not_ hurt her," he said in a low, threatening tone. Were he thinking clearly, Ravenstrike would have backed off from the woman, as he didn't particularly like harming or scaring females. But he wasn't, and he saw Tigerflower as a threat before he saw her as a woman.

He released the ShadowClanner's wrist, causing her to drop the branch as he did so. Ravenstrike only barely acknowledged the male warrior, whom had jumped away when he'd crossed the border. Feeling that he'd made himself clear enough, Ravenstrike reached down, grabbing Hazelpaw from where she was wrestling with Nightpaw before throwing the girl over his shoulder. He chose to ignore the girl's insistent struggling as he crossed back onto ThunderClan land and started walking away, leaving the ShadowClanners behind.

Once he was about a fox-length or two away, he heard Tigerflower shout over to him, "Don't think you'll get away with that, Ravenstrike! Don't think any of you will get away with what you're doing! 'Cause guess what; we're all watching you! ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan! You hear me?! We're watching you!"

Without turning around, Ravenstrike said back, "Yeah, and you can all watch me make dirt for all I care."

* * *

Ravenstrike later found himself regretting his actions.

After walking for a bit with his apprentice still writhing to get free from him, his burning rage had reduced to little for than a speck of annoyance. And with his lowered anger, his head cleared of the sound of roaring flames, allowing him to think over what had just taken place. The more he thought, the more he realized that he'd acted just as immaturely as that haughty apprentice. Had he not done so, he likely wouldn't have had to inform others of the encounter, but now it was necessary.

He groaned now, as he could see the entrance of camp growing closer and closer. Ravenstrike had already had to explain the incident to the rest of the patrol, whom he and Hazelpaw ran into by pure coincidence. Bloodsky, who had been leading the patrol, had simply shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh upon hearing the story. Despite the man's mild reaction, Ravenstrike still dreaded having to inevitably inform his uncle of the event. Duskleap was certainly firmer than most others, and Ravenstrike doubted that he'd get off easy with the man.

"Ugh, I still can't un-see that snob's face!" Hazelpaw ranted from her place beside him. The girl had been allowed to walk on her own after the two met up with the patrol, and she'd been fuming the whole way back to camp. She hissed out, "She's such a mange-ridden, maggot-faced, nasty-breathed, mealy wormed—uuuggghhh!"

As Hazelpaw seemed to be overcome by her own frustration, Ravenstrike swatted her over the head, telling her, "Yeah, she's terrible, I get it. Hush up, alright? We're about to be home."

Aside from a huff of annoyance, Hazelpaw seemed to lock up the rest of her fury as the two entered camp. And just like that, Ravenstrike forgot all his worrying and irritation, having immediately sought out Briarsong without even thinking about it. What he saw made his mouth instantly become dry.

She was standing outside the nursery, clearly enjoying use of her newly-healed ankle. In her arms, she held Barkkit, one of Copperwind and Fennelfur's new kits, having been born just two days before. However, it was what she was doing with the kit that caught Ravenstrike's attention. Briarsong's breasts were fully exposed, allowing the milk-filled bosom to be showed-off as Barkkit nursed from her. The pregnant queen looked up upon hearing the arrival of the patrol, and Ravenstrike saw her eyes brightened when she noticed them. With her typical friendly smile, Briarsong began making her way towards Ravenstrike and Hazelpaw, with the former trying to tone-down his body's reaction as she drew closer.

Of course, it was pretty damn hard to calm his increasing arousal, and Ravenstrike cursed his body as he felt his loins stir. But how could he look away when the curvy brunette was approaching him with those full, lovely breasts bouncing with every step?

With his mind having drawn a complete blank, the first thing Ravenstrike found himself saying to her was, "What's with the kit?"

Briarsong's brows raised upon hearing the question, but the look soon faded as she turned her gaze to Barkkit, her green eyes full of warmth and fondness, "Oh, Fennelfur had her hands full with the others, so when Barkkit started crying, I offered to help out. That's all."

"Ah," Ravenstrike said, having turned his gaze away from the woman, trying to see more interest in the ground than in Briarsong's alluring form.

It seemed that Hazelpaw had forgotten about her anger as well, as she asked, "Is he done? Can I have him?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, he's just finished," Briarsong replied as she carefully removed Barkkit from her breast, passing him into the arms of his elder sister. Hazelpaw seemed to cheer up instantly upon having hold of her brother, and walked off with him in his arms, whispering all sorts of nonsense to the confused kit.

Ravenstrike sent a glare to his apprentice's back, wishing that she hadn't asked to take the baby off Briarsong's hands, as he'd gotten a good look at the woman's breasts when she did. And he'd gotten to see a faint dribble of milk run down her soft flesh, just before she pulled a covering over the two globes. Unfortunately, Ravenstrike's body had already taken a toll from the short-lived sight, leaving him begging StarClan not to let Briarsong see how she'd affected his lower half.

Damn, if only he hadn't been ignoring his urges for the past moon or so. With the arrival of Briarsong, Ravenstrike had completely stopped going to see his usual lays, in spite of the whining he initially received from the women. No, he'd been too preoccupied with watching the freckled queen, and he strayed even further from the topic of pleasure as he became more invested in her.

' _Fuck'_ , Ravenstrike thought. He was only just now realizing how involved he'd become with this woman. How in StarClan did that even happen without him noticing?

"Ravenstrike?"

Hearing his name, Ravenstrike snapped back to attention, realizing that he hadn't been listening to a word the woman had been saying. Doing his best to play the embarrassment off, he asked, "Yeah, what is it?"

"I said that I needed you," Briarsong restated, her words causing Ravenstrike's heart to race as he processed them. But just a second later, his assumption was shattered as she continued, "I need you to talk to Duskleap about extending the nursery. It's getting pretty cramped, and it'll only get worse once the kits start growing. I'd do it myself, but I haven't been able to find him. So, I figured that you might know where he is, since he's your uncle and all."

"Oh," Ravenstrike said, trying to hide his disappointment. He sighed with the knowledge that he wouldn't be getting what his body desired. That, and he knew that he would be talking to his uncle anyways, remembering the encounter with the three ShadowClanners.

However, before he could reply to her, he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder, and the all-too-familiar voice of Hawkspeck met his ears.

"Sure he can, he's on his way to the deputy anyways," the senior warrior said in a light-hearted voice, a tone that he often used with the brunette girl.

Briarsong quirked her brow, "Really? Why?"

"Just a simple report," Hawkspeck replied with a smile. He then turned to Ravenstrike, his amber eyes clearly demanding some form of agreement, "Right, boy?"

Ravenstrike met his former mentor's gaze with a half-hearted glare. Begrudgingly, he nodded and agreed, "Yeah."

The relationship between the two of them had become a bit strained since Briarsong injured her ankle. Apparently, Hawkspeck had gotten wind of Ravenstrike's overreaction; and it wasn't much of a surprise, considering how fast word spreads in ThunderClan. It was the man's response that shocked Ravenstrike, as he'd found himself being pinned to the ground during a simple hunting trip, Hawkspeck's hand pressing his chest with near-painful pressure. With the angriest look he'd ever seen in Hawkspeck's eyes, his father-figure had uttered some simple words of advice.

" _You best learn to control yourself, Ravenstrike. I like you, you know I like you. But I can't have you hurting that girl. Just remember that."_

And with that, Ravenstrike had been released, and Hawkspeck left him to recover from the shock of the incident in solitude. He wanted to brush the older man's hand off his shoulder now, still remembering the pressure on his chest that day.

"I'm sure Duskleap would like to know just how much material will be needed," Hawkspeck said, directing the words towards Briarsong, "Would you mind finding that out?"

"Oh, yeah. I can do that just fine," the freckled woman replied, appearing quite confident in her estimation skills. With that she said a quick 'I'll be moment' before waddling back towards the nursery. Ravenstrike watched her go, not willing to admit to himself that his gaze wasn't innocent, as his eyes were completely focused on her plump bottom.

His attention was taken away from the woman when he heard Hawkspeck ask, "So, what's this I heard about ShadowClan?"

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Yes! It's finally done! Well, that took a while, but I think that it was certainly worth it! Hopefully, you guys think so, too!**

 **So, as you can tell, there was a bit of a time-skip here. It is know early December in the story, which means that Briarsong is only about a moon away from having her babies!**

 **Speaking of babies, Copperwind and Fennelfur are now the parents of three new kits: Barkkit, Cherrykit, and Rosekit (see the allegiances)! So they now have 8 kids! Wow….**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Briarsong was originally going to have a very alluring voice, but this element of the story was forgotten by the author.**

 **Please remember to review! They really do help me out with motivation, and I appreciate every single one! It's your reviews that keep me writing these new chapters, since they really let me know that you're reading and enjoying these stories! Thanks so much!**

 **Also, be sure to ask Patchpaw some questions in the** _ **Blurred Drama Story**_ **, and to vote on the poll on my profile! Thanks!**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	22. Nineteen: Raindrops

**~Briarsong~**

Briarsong awoke to the sound of a whimpering kit.

With a groan, she began to blink her eyes open, adjusting to the faint morning light that was filtering into the nursery. Looking around, she could just barely make out the outline of Fennelfur, who was still fast asleep in her nest. In the corner, Bloodheart's snoring paused briefly as she let out a cough, her body shaking from the force of it. When she did fall back into her slumber, her breathing was ragged.

As Briarsong maneuvered herself into a sitting position, she once again heard the pitiful whine of a kit. With a tilt of her ears, she realized that the sound was coming from Rosekit. Even in the shadows, she could spot the white hair and pale-gray fur that she possessed. The kit was clearly becoming more distressed as her whimpers and sniffs began to morph into mewls and cries. Briarsong could make out the movement of her tiny fists as the babe continued to fuss.

Not wanting Rosekit to disturb her denmates, Briarsong shuffled towards Fennelfur's nest, faulting slightly with the weight of her belly as she reached down to pluck up the kit. Now certain that she wouldn't be getting back to sleep and seeing as the sun was already rising, Briarsong made a decision.

"I bet you'd like some fresh air, wouldn't you?" she asked quietly, shifting Rosekit in her arms. Carefully, she stood, wobbling slightly as her pregnant belly seemed to protest the movement. As she made her way outside, she silently thanked StarClan that she wouldn't be pregnant for much longer, and then she could get her normal self back.

Once outside, Briarsong's eyes adjusted once again, this time to the pale light of dawn. Gentle rays of sunlight were reaching above the trees as the sun crawled from the night, softened only by the grayed clouds that floated above, remnants of the rain from last night. Unfortunately, the air was chilled, with leafbare making a clear claim on the land as frost decorated the grass.

In spite of the cold, some warriors were already awake and starting their duties. Briarsong spotted Berryspring gathering up Scarletfeather, Blackmoon, and Bumbleheart, the four of them clearly readying for a patrol. Whether it was for the boarders or hunting, Briarsong did not know.

A cry brought her attention back to Rosekit, and Briarsong gently cooed to her, hoping to soothe the babe. She'd seen Fennelfur and WindClan queens speak softly to their infants all the time, and it usually seemed to work. Unfortunately for her, however, Rosekit seemed to be having none of it. Within a few moments, the kit was all-out bawling, leaving Briarsong was at a loss of what to do.

"She's pretty fussy in the morning, isn't she?"

A rush of relief came over Briarsong as she heard Copperwind's voice. Turning, she never thought she'd be so grateful to see the tall man making his way towards her. With a weary laugh, she replied, "Just a little."

"Here, let me," Copperwind said, holding out his arms, and Briarsong was more than happy to pass the kit over. She supposed he would be more successful in calming Rosekit, considering he _was_ her father, and definitely had more experience with situations such as this.

As Copperwind adjusted his daughter in his arms, a frown appeared on his face, and his brows furrowed. The expression sent a feeling of concern through Briarsong, and she inquired, "Is something wrong?"

"She's warm…" the tall male replied, a look of worry filling his golden eyes. Rosekit didn't relax in his arms as she should have, but instead began to fuss even more, her tiny mouth wide open as she wailed, her pale tail lashing in discomfort. By now, other warriors could clearly hear the kit's cries.

Adderstorm grumpily called from his place outside the elders den, having paused his and Maplewhisker's conversation, "Can't you settle that kit? She's so loud, I'm sure half of StarClan is covering their ears!"

Copperwind lifted a hand to feel his daughter's forehead. Immediately, his eyes widened, catching Briarsong's attention. The father's lips moved slightly, but she could make out no words. Tentatively, Briarsong asked, "What is it?"

"Ever…" Copperwind mumbled out, his hand now feeling all over his infant daughter's face. It seemed that no matter where he touched, Rosekit's temperature was the same. Briarsong furrowed her brow, still trying to comprehend what he was saying. Again, she questioned him on his words.

Copperwind repeated his previous statement, this time clearer, and much more panicked, "Fever. She has a fever!"

A spike of dread ripped into Briarsong. Rosekit was only just over a quarter-moon old, and yet she had the misfortune of getting ill. She remembered a similar situation in WindClan, back when she was just an apprentice. Smallrabbit's first litter had all caught a fever within a few days of being born, and none of them had survived. The young queen had sobbed over the three little graves for days afterwards.

Copperwind seemed to make up his mind in that moment, and sped past her in the direction of the medicine hut, his squalling daughter held securely in his arms. As her eyes followed him, Briarsong felt her blood run cold. The idea of Rosekit's short life ending so soon filled her mind with dread, and she could only think to follow the warrior and ensure that the kit would be okay.

' _She'll be fine. You're just overreacting,'_ Briarsong told herself as she trailed after Copperwind, moving as fast as she could with the weight of her pregnant belly, ignoring the concerned chatter that broke out among the Clan.

* * *

"I wouldn't worry too much," Cedarnose said as he coated one of his index fingers in honey, proceeding to present the digit to Rosekit's mewling mouth. The kit, despite still being clearly uncomfortable, latched onto the healer's finger immediately, greedily sucking down the thick sweetness. The honey seemed to soothe her in an instant, and all her sniffles vanished as if by a miracle.

Briarsong watched from her place beside Copperwind, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. As her mother had once said, 'a hungry kit is a healthy kit'. Surely, even with the fever, Rosekit was still strong. Despite her own relief, she couldn't help but notice that Copperwind was still tense beside her, his amber eyes trained on his daughter.

"It's a light fever," Cedarnose continued, "Still, I am concerned. One raindrop could mean a storm, and a kit can easily spread illness to their mother or littermates."

Upon hearing those words, Briarsong recalled Bloodheart's coughing. Warily, she spoke up, "Ah...Bloodheart was coughing all night, and still this morning. I don't know if she has a fever or not."

Copperwind's tail twitched, showing his nervousness, "Will it become greencough?"

"Can't be sure," the healer replied, removing his now-clean finger from Rosekit's mouth, leaving the kit drowsily mewing for more, "With care, the fever could be gone within a day or two. However, medicine holders can only do so much. We can monitor our clanmates all we want but, in the end, it's in StarClan's hands. Let's just hope they don't need any of our warriors this season."

As Rosekit began to grumble with hunger, Cedarnose gently lifted the kit and passed her to her father, "I'm sure Fennelfur will be waking soon, and I don't think she'll react very well if she notices one of her kits missing. Go on and take her back to the nursery, and tell Fennelfur that I'll be there with herbs later. It'll be easier getting medicine in the kits if it's through milk. As for Bloodheart, ask her to visit me if she's awake. If not, wake her. We can't risk Ravenkit or Wolfkit catching anything."

Copperwind nodded, clearly relieved as he took hold of his little daughter once more, his amber eyes filling with fatherly devotion as he hastily exited. Briarsong was about to follow when Cedarnose said, "You stay. I'd like to talk with you for a moment."

Obediently, Briarsong plopped back down, her eyes set on the healer. Looking at him, she noticed for the first time that, although he was only on the cusp of thirty, he had wisdom in his eyes that made him look decades older. It was the same look that Sageblossom had, leading Briarsong to wonder just how much medicine holders truly knew.

"I'm sure you noticed Copperwind's anxiety," Cedarnose began, moving around the hut, gathering some herbs.

"Yes," Briarsong replied, her tail swishing behind her as she wondered why he'd brought it up.

As Cedarnose inspected a slightly withered borage leaf, he continued, "He hates leaf-bare; or rather, the illnesses it brings. Ravenstrike is the same."

This brought on an awful mixture of curiosity and concern. Quirking her brow, Briarsong asked, "Why?"

"Their father died of redcough," Cedarnose said, a grim expression taking over his face, "A terrible way to go, really. And not at all what Ravenwing deserved. He was a good man. Copperwind and Ravenstrike were still apprentices at the time."

Briarsong's eyes widened. She could remember Fennelfur mentioning that the brothers' father had died many years ago, but had never said how. Of course, she'd heard of redcough before. An elder, Honeystone, had been taken by the illness when Briarsong was a kit. Having been only nine years old at the time, it had horrified her to see the sweet old woman coughing up blood, quickly but painfully deteriorating until she died a quarter-moon later. She could only imagine what Ravenstrike and Copperwind went through as they watched their father die in such a way. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why Cedarnose was recounting the event to her.

The healer moved across his hut, beginning to sift through his store of herbs. Cedarnose seemed to have read her mind as he continued, "The dead of a loved one can bring great change, often in the character of those affected. Ravenstrike wasn't always so abrasive. He simply…what was it Duskleap said? He cares too much, that's what he said. And it takes someone very dear in his life to bring him to his current disposition."

Stating this, Cedarnose turned to her with a clump of herbs in his hands. Briarsong felt herself go tense as she felt his eyes rake over her, as if Cedarnose were seeing through her very spirit. Her tail bushed slightly as he moved towards her, and for a moment, Briarsong was worried that he was up to something. However, with an amused expression, Cedarnose simply moved to begin wrapping the herbs in a large leaf. Despite this, Briarsong remained on guard.

"What are you saying?" she questioned, watching as he carefully tucked the small white flowers of some feverfew into the wrap.

Cedarnose replied, "I'm saying that your worries should not be fixed on Ravenstrike. But rather, there seems to be bigger trouble. I wasn't simply speaking of Rosekit's fever when I said a raindrop could mean a storm. Recently, there's been many drops, and they all seem to be falling into one puddle. Your puddle."

Briarsong leaned forward, now confused, "My puddle..? I don't…"

"I know it's hard to understand. I find myself questioning everything at times, especially now," Cedarnose said with a sigh. As he finally tied off the wrap, he stated, "Ties are breaking, and with every day that passes, it seems we're getting closer to spilling blood."

The words brought a gasp to Briarsong. They were eerily similar to what the long-dead healer, Leafpool, had told her. Though it had only been a few short moons since her meeting with the starry spirit, so much had happened that she'd forgotten about the message. Remembering the meeting only served to remind her of Gray Wing's words as well. And as she recalled both events, she felt the fur on her tail bristle even more. Cedarnose was looking at her now, and his eyes told her that he was searching for a meaning behind her squirming. Unconsciously, she settled her hands protectively on the expanse of her belly.

"Relax, Briarsong. I can assure you, I don't mean any harm to you or your kits. In fact, I'm worried about your wellbeing," Cedarnose confessed, his amber gaze losing its steadiness and revealing deep concern within their depths.

Briarsong relaxed, but only slightly. Suspiciously, she asked, "Why? Has StarClan told you something? What does it have to do with me?"

The healer shook his head, "That's the problem. StarClan has said nothing to me ever since your arrival here in ThunderClan. No, I'm not saying it's your fault, but I am saying that it's concerning. However, in times like these, StarClan tends to turn a blind eye to us medicine holders, instead choosing to focus on those who seem to be having the most trouble. Briarsong, have you..?"

Before he could finish, a weary Bloodheart poked her head through the pelts that covered the hut's entrance, speaking to Cedarnose in a raspy, cough-strained voice, "You wanted me?"

Turning to look at her, Briarsong's eyes widened at her appearance. In her few moons of knowing the queen, Bloodheart had always looked well. She was never as ethereal-looking as Fennelfur, but she'd managed to maintain a neat and energized appearance in spite of all her kits' bouncing and racing around. Now, looked tired and worn-out, obviously having taken a toll from the night of coughing and—from the looks of her reddened face— fever.

"Yes," Cedarnose responded, with his voice giving away his deepened concern. With a sigh, he continued, "Yes, come right in. Briarsong, it's best that you go."

He seemed to have given up on whatever he was going to ask her, though Briarsong had a good idea of what he'd intended to say. Silently, she thanked Bloodheart for her intervention, and carefully got to her feet. A hand on her arm made her look up, and she saw that Bloodheart was attempting to help her.

"Come on," Bloodheart rasped, "Hold onto my shoulder."

"No, I'm f—" a look from the white-haired woman was enough for Briarsong to shut her mouth.

Briarsong did as she was told, grasping the older queen's shoulder for support as she rose to stand. Once she was up, she released her hold on Bloodheart, quietly thanking her for the assistance. Bloodheart nodded, and proceeded to turn to Cedarnose. Wanting to give them the privacy that they'd need, Briarsong hurried outside, shuddering at the feeling of the chilly air. Still, she preferred the cool, early leaf-bare air to the uncomfortable atmosphere of the medicine hut.

As she began waddling back to the nursery, she pondered the conversation that she'd had with Cedarnose. She was certain he'd been about to ask if StarClan had spoken to her. If Bloodheart had not arrived at that moment, what would she have said? It would have been simple to tell the healer what she'd experienced. But then what?

Would Cedarnose have dragged her to Oakstar to relay what she'd told him? What would the leader do? Briarsong bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She only stopped her nibbling when she heard a greeting from beside her. Snapping her head up, she realized that Darkwater had joined her.

"Morning, Briarsong," Darkwater said, "I heard about Rosekit and Bloodheart. Looks like leaf-bare's starting its attack early this season."

Briarsong nodded solemnly, "Looks like it."

"I heard Blackmoon coughing this morning. He's out on patrol now, though, so we'll have to wait to know if it's actually, well, something," Darkwater stated, kicking a small rock as he spoke. He seemed to notice Briarsong's distractedness as he proceeded, "What about you? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah," Briarsong replied, feeling guilty for not fully paying attention, "I'm fine. Actually, I'm more worried about Rosekit than anything. I know it's just a fever now, but what if it gets worse?"

They finally reached the nursery, stopping outside of its entrance. Briarsong could hear Rosekit's sniffles mixing with the mewls of her littermates. Beyond that, she could also make out the quiet voices of Copperwind and Fennelfur. There was no sign of the older kits, meaning that they were likely already out and playing.

Darkwater sighed as he responded, "Like I said, we'll have to wait and see. I wouldn't worry to much though. Us ThunderClanners are pretty hardy, after all. Did I ever tell you about the time I got Ravenstrike to eat crowfood?"

"No," Briarsong said, surprise slipping into her tone. She could never imagine the tall man being willing to do something like that, "I don't think you have."

The young warrior spoke with a smile, "Well, now's a good a time as any. Let me tell you, when we were apprentices, the guy could _never_ back down from a dare. So I'm sitting around one day, wondering how I can get him to give up, and I hear Bumbleheart screeching about a squirrel that had gone rank. And I think to myself, 'that's it!' So I go up to Ravenstrike, and I say—"

"What?" Ravenstrike's voice broke through Darkwater's tale. He was leaning out of the nursery, having been inside for StarClan knows how long. Briarsong certainly hadn't heard him, which likely meant he simply hadn't been talking.

She looked up at him, catching herself off-guard with how quickly she'd begun admiring his looks. Now that she thought about it, she'd been doing that a lot in the past moon. Perhaps she should try to shake it off. Sure, they weren't snapping at each other's throats anymore, but Ravenstrike was still adamant that the kits she carried weren't his. She'd done her best to convince herself that there wasn't much she could do to change that, but still…What she wouldn't give to beat some sense into him.

Darkwater turned to Ravenstrike, "Just telling Briarsong about The Squirrel."

Ravenstrike's ears laid flat as his eye narrowed, "Don't. She's about to eat."

 _I am?,_ Briarsong questioned silently.

"To make it short," Darkwater said, wearing a wide grin, "He lost his breakfast all over Fernpelt."

"Darkwater," Ravenstrike warned, nudging Briarsong aside as he slowly exited the nursery. She didn't mind too much, since she was struggling to hold in her laughter.

The black-haired warrior continued, "She didn't forgive him for three moons!"

Ravenstrike seemed to have enough of the younger man's playfulness, deciding at that moment to swing at him. However, Darkwater seemed to have seen it coming, since he dodged just in time. Laughing, the man raised his hands in submission as he started backing away, "Alright, alright! I'm done, I swear! Oh, would you look at that, Owlflight's putting together a hunting patrol. I think I'll go join him."

"Yeah, go make yourself useful," Ravenstrike grouched.

Briarsong watched Darkwater approached Owlflight, who already had Mouseshade and Foxtail at his side. She was still holding in her laughter, using her hand to cover her mouth. However, as Ravenstrike turned his attention to her, she lost control upon seeing the mixture of irritation and bemusement on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ravenstrike said with a growl, placing his hand on Briarsong's shoulder to begin guiding her, "Sick Ravenstrike is funny. Fennelfur and Copperwind are still trying to calm the kits, so we're eating outside."

Finally starting to regain control of her giggling, Briarsong asked, "What are we eating?"

"We were going to eat squirrel," Ravenstrike replied, "But now it's going to be pigeon or wagtail."

Just like that, Briarsong found herself laughing again, bringing herself plenty of attention as she did so. Through the mixture of staring warriors, Ravenstrike's muttering, and her own uncontrollable mirth, she was pleased to push the morning's earlier events towards the back of her mind.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Oh my goodness, it's been over a year since the last update. What have I done?**

 **Don't worry, lovelies, I am absolutely not abandoning this story. And for anyone who's seen that** _ **Path**_ **is on hiatus, I'm not abandoning that story either. Just a simple break, that's all.**

 **To my readers of** _ **Cure**_ **, it will be updated soon. I'm not exactly sure when, but I'm hoping that I can do it by Thanksgiving, here in America.**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Copperwind and Ravenstrike's official birthday is November 23** **rd** **(which happens to be this year's Thanksgiving).**

 **Please do review! Feedback really means a lot to me, and I'd greatly appreciate it! Also, remember that I change the polls on my profile every month (or try to), so please go and vote!**

 **Happy Holidays!**

 **\- Tina**


	23. Twenty: Building Up

**=Ravenstrike=**

Ravenstrike stood alongside his clanmates, arms crossed in an attempt to ward off the chilly breeze. The first snow of leaf-bare had fallen the previous night, and though his twenty-three years of life had gotten him used to standing in it, the cold was as unpleasant as ever. Still, he wasn't going to miss a ceremony.

Despite the cold morning, Oakstar had called the clan together before the sun had fully risen, announcing that it was time for Shortpaw to get her warrior name. The two now stood before their clanmates, who all watched with rapt attention. To the side, Ravenstrike could see Hawkspeck gazing at Shortpaw with the pride of a kit-bearer whose kit caught its first beetle.

Oakstar asked the apprentice, "Shortpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"Yes," the small girl answered, lacking any hesitation. Hawkspeck had trained her well.

Indeed, this was a good occasion. Especially with the sickness that had quickly spread throughout the clan in the last quarter-moon. Already, six of Ravenstrike's clanmates were ill. He glanced towards the nursery, and felt his stomach twist at the sight of Briarsong sitting alone outside. Fennelfur and Bloodheart hadn't left the hut in the last two days, with his brother's mate guarding a recovering Rosekit, and the paler kit-bearer being too sick to move.

Ravenstrike hated leaf-bare for this exact reason. Too many lives were lost in this season. His niece was fortunately bouncing back from her sickness, but his other ill clanmates were weakening by the hour. Beyond that, Ravenstrike couldn't help poking his head into the nursery every day now, checking to ensure that Briarsong was breathing alright in her sleep. He always felt relieved to see her chest rising and falling normally, and that her face wasn't flushed with fever.

He tore his eyes away from the kit-bearer, trying to focus on his leader as the man finally spoke Shortpaw's new name.

"From this moment, you will be known as Shortfoot. StarClan honors your speed and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Oakstar announced, leaning down to rest his chin on Shortfoot's head. The girl quickly swiped his shoulder with her tongue.

Cheers of the new warrior's name erupted from the clan, and Ravenstrike joined in half-heartedly. Glancing over, he saw Briarsong turn and waddle back into the nursery. When the crowd dispersed, Ravenstrike found himself moving immediately. He hadn't even been thinking of where he was going, and only realized he was heading to the nursery when a voice interrupted him.

"Ravenstrike, where are you going? We have to finish the warriors' hut, remember?"

Ravenstrike huffed, his ears perking forward as he heard a particularly ragged cough from inside the nursery. It was harsh and violent, but obviously not from an adult. Ravenkit was getting worse, he deduced.

He turned around, and saw Hazelpaw standing there, arms crossed and tapping her small foot in the snow. Her face was red from the cold, but Ravenstrike knew that she was eager to get back to business. In the last few days, he'd discovered that his niece and apprentice had a love for building and repairing.

"Right," he said, trying to ignore the sound of worried cooing in the nursery, "Let's try to get it done today."

"So you can hover over Briarsong?" Hazelpaw asked brazenly, already turning in the direction of the warriors' hut.

Ravenstrike leaned forward, smacking his apprentice in the back of the head, "No, so we can start on the nursery."

"Yeah," Hazelpaw replied with a light growl, rubbing the spot where she'd been hit, "So you can hover over Briarsong. Don't deny it."

"I'll deny anything I want," Ravenstrike said without thinking. He blinked, realizing that he sounded like he was talking to Copperwind. The casualness was surprising to him. Then again, the knowledge that he and his apprentice were no longer biting each other's heads off was…pleasant.

Still, for extra measure, he added, "Ebonykit woke up with snow on her back."

"Yeah, and she loved it," Hazelpaw said. Her voice carried the same satisfied purr that her mother had when she was sure that she was right. Ravenstrike only gave a half-hearted growl in response.

They reached the warriors' den and set to work. The whole clan had been fussing over sealing the huts up in defense against leaf-bare's cold, with Duskleap having announced a new construction order shortly after the illness began. Of course, it'd all begun with Briarsong, who had all but demanded that Duskleap do something about the poor condition of the huts.

Ravenstrike couldn't help feeling insulted when she'd said the ThunderClan warriors did a poor job maintaining the huts. But as he slapped a handful of mud over a newly-weaved ceiling, he wouldn't deny that she was right—but never out loud.

It was obvious that WindClan and ThunderClan built their huts differently. Ravenstrike was used to strips of bark lying between layers of thin, woven branches that created ceilings, and thicker branches creating walls. But Briarsong had insisted on a different way of doing things. She'd insisted on adding a thick layer of mud to the walls and ceilings, along with stones lining the perimeter.

Naturally, most of ThunderClan had been against it, and Ravenstrike was one of them. They weren't WindClan, so why should they build their huts like WindClan? Apparently, protests didn't matter, because Duskleap and Oakstar had been swayed, and orders were given almost immediately.

For the first few days, Ravenstrike carried out the work with bitterness in his belly. He didn't like following the demands of a kit-bearer who hadn't even been in ThunderClan for a year, and neither did a lot of his clanmates. His mood had only soured when he found out that Briarsong had done more than issue change in the huts. She'd gotten several young warriors to help her alter the nests of the clan. After he'd stumbled upon the kit-bearer tucking shedded fur into Maplewhisker's nest, he'd decided that he'd finally had enough, and went to talk with his uncle.

Short story later, Duskleap hadn't been too pleased with Ravenstrike's complaints.

Thinking about how his uncle had growled at him, Ravenstrike felt his own growl rise out of his throat. Hazelpaw looked up at him questioningly, her mud-covered hands blending in with the muddy walls of the warriors' hut.

"Cut my finger," Ravenstrike lied. The girl seemed to accept it, going back to work on the wall.

Ravenstrike watched her for a moment, realizing that the only reason he'd gotten lost in thought was likely due to her unusual silence. Never before had Hazelpaw seemed so absorbed with her duties.

He made a mental note, ' _She likes working with her hands.'_

From that moment on, he tried to focus on his work completely, but was largely unsuccessful. It didn't help when his mother and her apprentice, along with Glowheart, joined them. Almost instantly, Crowpaw initiated a conversation.

"Briarsong started working on our nests today," he said to Hazelpaw, "She said she'd add extra feathers to Dawnpaw's."

The boy then turned his attention to Ravenstrike, "Copperwind's really worried about her. Rosekit, too."

"Of course he is," Ravenstrike replied, his throat feeling tight. Everything that was happening felt like too much to him. The sickness, the changes, and the kit-bearer who _wouldn't leave his damn mind alone_. His head was starting to ache, feeling heavy.

"I'll admit," Glowheart joined in, "The new nests seem good. I stayed with Blackmoon last night, though Cedarnose wasn't too happy about it, but he seemed to be sleeping better than before. He's still coughing though."

The woman trailed off. Ravenstrike was well-aware that she and Blackmoon had been mooning over each other for nearly a year now. But they were both idiots, and couldn't seem to detect one another's attraction. Suddenly, Duskleap's words jumped into his mind.

" _StarClan forbid if Briarsong wants to do something nice for us; she's even saving her own nest for last. And for all your complaining, Ravenstrike, you only seem to throw tantrums when it comes to her. You're like an apprentice who can't make up his mind on whether he likes a she-cat or not. Then again, that's exactly your problem, isn't it?"_

Ravenstrike growled audibly, rising to his feet. He couldn't continue working like this. He had to take a break, maybe go out and chuck some stones into the lake. It's not like the fish would care much.

"And where are you going?" Berryspring asked. Those were her first words since she joined in on the work.

"I need a break," Ravenstrike replied, hoping not to garner any questions.

He was already stepping away when Berryspring said, "We're almost done here, I'm sure you can handle working for a little longer. Then we can all have our morning-meal and rest for a bit."

Ravenstrike knew the tone in his mother's voice. It was one she'd rarely used since the death of his father; her 'not-on-my-watch' voice. Honestly, Ravenstrike didn't even know how to respond at first, considering how long it'd been since he'd heard it. For a moment, he just stood there, feeling the eyes of his clanmates on his back. His tail was still bushed from stress, but he willed himself to see the reason in his mother's voice.

With a huff, he turned and rejoined his clanmates. There was a distinct feeling of relief among them, and he immediately realized that they'd expected him to snap at Berryspring. Even the woman herself, who's blue eyes went from hard to soft in a heartbeat, seemed to have expected a negative response. Ravenstrike didn't know how to feel about that, so he directed his attention towards finishing the roof of the hut as soon as possible.

He pretended not to hear when his mother said, "My sweet kit is back."

* * *

It was the night of the Gathering.

Honestly, Ravenstrike had completely forgotten about it. But he didn't think he had the energy for it. Or rather, he didn't think he had the energy to deal with the other clans; especially when it meant he'd have to listen to Eaglestar's crazed rambling again. So, he didn't hesitate to refuse when Duskleap asked him to attend.

"Take Bumbleheart instead, she's wanted to go for moons now," he said, though he felt that the woman's desire to attend was more due to the gossip that occurred at Gatherings.

Ravenstrike saw the look in Duskleap's eyes, knowing that his uncle was studying him. Whether or not the man was going to force him to go, he wasn't sure. Something about the deputy's body-language told him that he wasn't very happy. Vaguely, he recalled Hawkspeck saying that he and his uncle were one in the same; both being hot-blooded in comparison to their littermates.

Finally, the man said, "Alright. You get to take over for Darkwater."

"What?" Ravenstrike questioned, his brow quirking. Between working on the huts and taking a much-needed, very long walk along the lake, he hadn't seen the younger man all day.

Duskleap frowned, "So you haven't noticed? Ravenstrike, you haven't been around Briarsong at all today, have you?"

Immediately, Ravenstrike realized that his uncle was correct. He hadn't gone anywhere near the nursery since that morning, and now it was well into the night. Inwardly, he was beating his own head in for his negligence. But then, he'd been doing his best not to think about the kit-bearer all day.

"Darkwater's been looking after her, helping her with the nests," Duskleap informed him and continued, "Don't get that look. I'm more than certain that he sees her as a sister."

Ravenstrike felt his ears grow hot, knowing that his uncle had detected his thoughts. However, he didn't deny the fact that he'd been suspecting Darkwater of having feelings for the kit-bearer. With that said, his uncle's words provided him with some relief. He liked Darkwater; the man was dedicated to his duties and had a good sense of humor. He didn't want to have harsh feelings between them.

' _Harsh feelings over what?'_ he wondered. Really, he knew the answer.

"Right," Ravenstrike said, "Has she eaten tonight?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Duskleap replied, his brown eyes still studying him, "Get to it."

Ravenstrike nodded in understanding, already thinking of what was available. Briarsong still had an aversion towards rabbit meat, so the lucky catch that Wolfsong had made was not an option. However, with the first snowfall, prey had almost immediately become scarce. He was sure he'd seen Mouseshade come back with a squirrel earlier. He started to walk away.

"It's not her fault," Duskleap said suddenly. Ravenstrike stopped, his tail flicking in confusion.

"What?" he asked.

"Your whole mood you have going on, and whatever's caused it, that's not her fault. So don't let me catch you ignoring her again," his uncle said, a growl slowly rising into his voice.

Suddenly, the reason for the deputy's tenseness was clear, and Ravenstrike felt his own blood start to boil. Duskleap honestly thought that he'd been ignoring his assigned duty? That he'd been ignoring Briarsong? Was that really something that his clanmates thought he'd do?

Ravenstrike growled back, meeting his uncle's eyes, "For your information, I've been trying to _not_ think about her all day."

Almost immediately, Duskleap's bristled tail started to settle, and his shoulders dropped. With that, the tension between them dissipated.

"Oh," the older man said. His expression softened, "And here I thought I'd have to give you some apprentice duties as punishment. Still, you have a day to make up for."

As a last note, the deputy stepped forward, giving Ravenstrike a solid punch in the shoulder. It wasn't meant to harm, but still made its point.

"Yeah, yeah," Ravenstrike replied, accepting the friendly blow. With that, the two gave their goodnights and separated, with Duskleap joining Oakstar to lead towards the island.

Ravenstrike made his way towards the nursery, grabbing a still-warm, roasted squirrel along the way. Unceremoniously, he poked his head in, and was immediately greeted by the scent of vomit. It took him a moment to register what was going on. In that moment, a tired-looking Briarsong pushed him back out of the hut.

"Move, Ravenstrike, move! I have to get Cedarnose!" she cried, putting her large belly to use as she forced him out of her way. This was enough to snap Ravenstrike back into reality, and he moved to stop her.

"Hold it, what happened? Are you okay?" he asked, dropping the bowl of food he held, moving to grab the woman by her upper arms. His eyes swept over her in inspection for the first time all day.

Briarsong's green eyes were wide, filled with distress. Dark rings were below them, just barely visible in the full moon's light. Her hair showed signs of not having been tended to.

As his eyes travelled lower, Ravenstrike breath caught at the sight of her bare breasts. Plump, freckled, and full, nipples already peaking from the cold air. However, the sight was cut short as Briarsong spoke.

"I'm fine. But Ravenkit needs help. Move," she said. The edge in her voice suggested that she was ready to run him down. She sounded like a true mother.

Instead of letting the woman try to run through the snow, Ravenstrike turned and shouted to the nearest warrior, "Violetclaw, get Cedarnose to the nursery!"

Not too long after, the healer arrived and entered the nursery. As snow began to fall, Ravenstrike took Briarsong aside. He offered her a robin, having seen that the squirrel had already partially frozen. She refused it, and after having caught a whiff of the nursery, Ravenstrike couldn't blame her. Instead, he settled on throwing the fur of a buck over her shoulders. He told himself that it was to keep her warm, and that was true. Still, Ravenstrike fought against looking at her breasts.

As she pulled the fur around her, Briarsong said, "I can understand it, you know. Hating leaf-bare."

"Yeah?" Ravenstrike replied, unsure of what she was leading to. They'd been sitting in silence until this moment.

"Cedarnose told me about what happened, when Rosekit first got sick."

"Oh," was all Ravenstrike could think to say.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: I apologize for my absence lately. Honestly, I forgot about this site for a bit! But with Spring Break here, I'm happy to say that intend to get a few chapters out to you guys, and I'll likely start the next chapter as soon as this is posted!**

 **On another note, I'm sad to say that** _ **Path**_ **has officially been cancelled. I truly enjoyed working on it, and the plot that I'd developed, but I feel like I made the relationship between Hollypaw and Crowpaw too unstable. I don't believe Hollypaw would ever be truly happy with him. And so, the story has been cancelled.**

 **However, I will soon be creating a new story as a replacement. It's still in the planning phase, so I can't say what it will be about, aside from the fact that it is another neko story.**

 **With all that said, I'd like to ask you guys to please review. Feedback is excellent encouragement for writers, and lets me know what I'm doing right and if you're enjoying the story. So please, take the time to let me know what you think!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Mud allows a hut to be warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. This is great for WindClan, since the camp is in the open.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	24. Twenty-One: The Brewing Storm

**~Briarsong~**

"Oh," Ravenstrike said.

' _Oh?'_ Briarsong silently questioned, wondering what that meant. The man had yet to look at her since he gave her the fur, and she didn't know what emotion that word entailed. She wasn't even sure why she'd mentioned her talk with Cedarnose. Maybe it was just the stress of…well, everything. The rush to protect her new clanmates from leaf-bare's cold, the sickness that was slowly taking over the camp, and the fact that her own kits were due so soon.

Still, she'd already started talking, and she wasn't going to stop.

"It happened in WindClan too, you know. Redcough, I mean," Briarsong continued. When Ravenstrike gave no response, she asked, "Do you remember Honeystone?"

She turned to look at him, and Ravenstrike gave a large sigh before answering, "Yeah. Sweet old lady who could barely see two fox-lengths in front of her. Stopped Dovetail from falling in the lake when we were apprentices. Brindlestar never said what took her."

"Well, now you know," Briarsong said. There was a long moment of silence. The snowfall had gone from sparse to thick, and she could just barely make out Shortfoot, who stood stiff and tall at the camp entrance, despite the cold she must have felt. Briarsong made a mental note to get Rabbitfoot started on the girl's nest as soon as possible. The camp was virtually silent, all except for Ravenkit's retching and the ragged coughs of Bloodheart.

Briarsong took a breath, feeling cold air, and continued, "I remember being scared. She was always kind to me and my brothers."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ravenstrike asked abruptly. Glancing at him, Briarsong could see that he was tense. Though, she couldn't tell if it was because of the cold or the conversation. But his question was one that she'd been asking herself. She took a moment to think.

"I want this to stop," Briarsong said. It came out blunt, not in the way she intended. But she felt better saying it, so she kept going.

"My kits will be here soon," she didn't bother to say 'our', "And I don't want them to be born with more trouble than they'll already have."

Ravenstrike shifted, crossing his arms as he finally looked at her, "So it's about the kits?"

"Not completely. I want us to get along. Some days you seem just fine, and the next, you're telling the deputy that I'm ruining ThunderClan," she said, her voice slowly rising. Vaguely, it registered in Briarsong's mind that she was getting angry. It wasn't something that happened often, but she felt the moons of stress, of being kicked out of her clan and fighting to find peace in her new one, finally being released.

"I never said that," Ravenstrike said in defense. His brow furrowed, and he looked thoroughly uncomfortable. But Briarsong wasn't done yet.

"You might as well have," she snapped, "I've done _nothing_ but try and soothe everything down. Have I made mistakes? Absolutely, and I'm sorry for that. But I just—"

' _I want you to be the father our kits will need. I want you to stop growling at your clanmates. I want you to like me.'_

All those thoughts flew through her head, but Briarsong said none of them. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. This wasn't going to work if it turned into an argument.

"I want you to be Ravenstrike," she said finally, eyes still closed.

"What?" Ravenstrike questioned.

Briarsong opened her eyes, holding his amber gaze, "I want you to be the Ravenstrike that Berryspring, Copperwind, Fennelfur, and even Darkwater told me about. He was troubled, but kind. He loved to laugh and take on stupid dares. He held me, and was still there in the morning."

She was crying now. She didn't want to, but she was. Her cheeks felt cold as her tears met the chill of leaf-bare. Damn what Flowerdusk had called "queen-moods".

"That's who I need right now," Briarsong said, feeling the rush of anger melt away. She felt tired, "That's who everyone needs right now."

She looked away from him, waiting for the moment when he'd either rise and storm away from her, or when he started snapping at her for what she'd said. Her eyes snapped open when she felt Ravenstrike move close to her, his side pressing against hers.

"I'm sorry, alright?" the warrior said after a moment of silence.

Briarsong looked at him again, blinking in surprise. In all honesty, it was the last thing she expected to hear. More than that, Ravenstrike's eyes held not even the tiniest amount of anger. Instead, he looked almost weary.

"You're sorry?" Briarsong asked, unsure of how else to respond. What was going on in his head?

Ravenstrike nodded, "Yeah. So stop crying."

The man looked uncomfortable, as if he didn't know what else to say. Awkwardness looked good on him, Briarsong decided. Almost cute. She let out a chuckle.

"Sorry," she said, wiping away the tears. One of the kits kicked inside her. Right, they always seemed to sense when she was upset.

"Don't worry about it. You're not the only one who's had something to say," Ravenstrike admitted. He then told her, "Hawkspeck almost killed me after the day you got hurt."

"He tried to kill you?" Briarsong asked, her voice rising in surprise.

The warrior calmed her, "Okay, not exactly. But I'm sure he would if it happened again."

Oh. Briarsong thought of Hawkspeck. He was the one who suggested she come to ThunderClan. Despite that, he'd never visited her in the nursery, but was friendly whenever they spoke. With that said, they barely knew each other, though Briarsong knew that she owed him a lot. Without his offer, she didn't know where she'd be. In a No-tail nest with a collar around her neck? Or maybe struggling on her own, unable to even hunt for herself?

"He's kind," she decided. For a fleeting moment, she wondered why he didn't have any kits. He likely would have made a good father.

' _Maybe he's too focused on his duties,'_ she thought. Like her mother. They would get along if they were in the same clan. Maybe even be friends.

"He was my mentor," Ravenstrike said, "And has been a good judge of character more than once. He likes you."

A good judge of character? Briarsong asked, "Are you saying..?"

"Yes. I'm willing to try again if you are," Ravenstrike said, nothing in his tone suggesting otherwise.

It took a moment for the words to sink in. Once they did, Briarsong felt a flicker of hope in her belly. Or maybe that was just her kits moving around. Either way, she was _beyond_ pleased.

"More than willing," she said, feeling a smile grace her lips.

Ravenstrike took a breath, "Alright then. Ravenstrike."

"Huh?"

"My name is Ravenstrike," the man said, holding his hand out to her. His words were more than familiar, and Briarsong's smile widened as she realized what he was doing.

She took his hand, shaking it, "I'm Briarsong. I guess we never did introduce ourselves, huh?"

"No, I guess not. Not in the best way, anyways," Ravenstrike said, and Briarsong saw him return her smile with his own. She decided that she liked his smile. It made him even handsomer than normal. Absently, she hoped her kits inherited it from him.

"What are you two still doing out here?"

They both looked up, seeing a concerned Cedarnose exiting the nursery. He was looking at them as if they were kits up to no good.

"Um," was all Briarsong could say.

"Have neither of you noticed the snow? Briarsong, please come inside. Ravenstrike, come with me. Applepaw is sleeping and I'll need extra hands," the healer said, his tone suggesting that there was no other option than to obey.

"Sure, fine," Ravenstrike said, rising to his feet. When he reached down to help her up, Briarsong didn't hesitate. She hadn't even noticed that she was shivering, and she saw that Ravenstrike's nose had reddened.

She moved into the nursery, and a look around the nursery told Briarsong that things were a lot more peaceful than they had been. Bloodheart was holding her kits close to her, a cough slipping out as she ran her fingers through their hair. Ravenkit was sleeping, though fitfully. Whatever Cedarnose had done had worked.

As she settled into her nest, Briarsong met Fennelfur's eyes. The white-haired queen was surrounded by sleeping kits, and Briarsong thought for a moment that she matched her idea of Ferncloud, a queen talked about in stories that lived and died a mother.

"You were out there for a while," Fennelfur observed, "Cold?"

Briarsong smiled, "Yes, but it was worth it."

Fennelfur lifted a brow questioningly, "Oh? Mind telling why?"

No, Briarsong didn't mind at all.

* * *

The full moon, combined with the reflection of fallen snow, lit up the island. Surveying the clearing before her, Sootleaf couldn't help but think of it as beautiful.

But that was leaf-bare, wasn't it? Beautiful and quiet, and yet so strongly dreaded by the Clans. In the back of her mind, Sootleaf thought about what the snowfall would entail. Leaf-bare was in full motion, and that meant scarcer prey and rampant illness. The latter of which was not at all helped by the lessened availability of herbs. And now, her clan had three elders and eight kits to look after and feed.

She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers to her temple. The headache she'd had earlier was returning. Ever since Eaglestar had gone off the deep-end, Sootleaf had pretty much been leading the clan on her own, and she'd never felt more stressed out.

Still, she was at the Gathering, something she'd been waiting for with a mix of anxiety and hope. It'd been a two moons since she'd heard that ThunderClan had taken her kit in, and two moons since she'd spoken to _him_.

"Sootleaf, is everything alright?" a nearby voice asked. It belonged to the RiverClan deputy, Silverheart.

' _No,'_ she thought, _'Everything is not alright.'_

But she couldn't just say that to the deputy of another clan. It'd be like dropping a squirrel in front of a fox den.

"Yes," she said, "I'm just a little tired. That's all."

The RiverClanner either accepted her words or was forced into silence as the Gathering was called. Sootleaf looked up, having a good spot at the base of the giant tree. She could clearly see the four leaders among the branches, and she was sure many others could as well, if the whispering about Eaglestar were any indication.

The man was worse for wear, and Sootleaf felt a sense of grief as she'd watched him deteriorate. Now, he stood close to Goldenstar, fidgeting. He was missing several chunks of hair, and he obviously hadn't slept in a couple of days.

' _All because of my daughter,'_ Sootleaf thought despairingly.

Ripplestar finished her report without incident. Two apprentices had become warriors, now named Nutfall and Wishberry. Prey was just as plentiful as always, granted fish never seemed bothered by the cold weather.

Things were similar in ShadowClan. Pinestripe had finally taken an apprentice, with congratulations being thrown the newly-named Brightpaw's way. Sootleaf looked across the tree's base and saw the young girl trying not to make it obvious that she was hiding behind her mentor. Then she noticed something else. Cedarnose and his apprentice weren't present. She didn't want to know what that might mean.

Then came the time for Oakstar to report, and there an instant shift in atmosphere. Everyone was suddenly tense, though with ShadowClan and RiverClan being more confused than worried. Sootleaf kept her eyes on the tall leader, unaware that she was holding her breath. She wanted to hear something—anything, about her daughter. Even if it meant facing Eaglestar's wrath once the Gathering ended.

"It is with joy that I announce that ThunderClan has a new warrior, Shortfoot," Oakstar announced, "She's currently back at camp, standing vigil."

Despite the warrior's absence, words of congratulations were still given. Many of which were directed to the girl's mentor, who Sootleaf couldn't help but look towards.

Hawkspeck stood tall, taking the words with pride in his eyes. From what Sootleaf knew, he'd put a lot of work into his latest apprentice, and it'd obviously paid off. His eyes suddenly moved to meet hers, and Sootleaf looked away. They'd have time later.

Oakstar continued after the voiced quieted, "We are also proud to say that Fennelfur has delivered her and Copperwind's kits: Barkkit, Cherrykit, and Rosekit."

The very moment he finished speaking, Eaglestar stepped up, and Sootleaf steeled herself for what was to come.

Instead of addressing the clans, he turned to Oakstar and asked, "But Briarsong, do you still have her? Have you banished her yet?"

"No," Oakstar said coolly, his flicking tail being the only evidence of his displeasure, "Nor do I plan to without reason."

"Without reason?! What more reason do you have?! She's a traitor who carries kits that could very well be the end of us! Imagine it, the death sentence you are giving all of us!" Eaglestar exclaimed, stepping closer to the ThunderClan leader. Sootleaf could make out spit as it flew from his mouth.

A growl slipped out of Oakstar, "For the last time, I will not punish a queen for nothing."

' _Thank you,'_ Sootleaf thought.

The answer clearly didn't please Eaglestar, who smirked, "Well, Oakstar, I think you're out-numbered, anyways."

Murmurs erupted as members of ThunderClan drew away from those of the other clans, tension clearly rising on the island. However, those of WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan were confused. Sootleaf frowned, not knowing what her leader was talking about. The fact that Eaglestar hadn't informed her of what seemed to be something important was worrying.

"Goldenstar? Ripplestar?" Oakstar questioned. He was looking between the other leaders.

"She's one queen, Oakstar," Goldenstar explained, "And not even your own. Why risk your clanmates for her?"

Oakstar glared, "And in what way am I risking my clan?"

"Have you not begun to pay already? That's why your medicine holder is not here, isn't it? Your clan is riddled with illness, _isn't it_?" Eaglestar roared. By the whispers from the ThunderClanners, Sootleaf realized that he was likely right. A spike of fear hit her, and the image of an ill Briarsong filled her mind.

Oakstar didn't reply to the man, but instead addressed both the leaders and the clan members, "ThunderClan will not heed to the demands of another Clan."

"Then you have asked for war!" Eaglestar growled.

Shocked outbursts filled the clearing, quickly followed by growls between ThunderClan and the other clans. Movement caught Sootleaf's attention, and she noticed Duskleap stepping away from her and the other deputies. His discomfort was more than obvious. Looking to the others, Sootleaf saw that Silverheart was refusing to look at any of them, and Lilyfall bore a resolute expression.

Sootleaf turned her attention back to the leaders. Eaglestar looked ready to pounce on Oakstar right then and there, and the ThunderClan leader was staring him down. Goldenstar looked on, her green eyes shining. Ripplestar stood silently.

"War?" Oakstar asked.

"Yes, Oakstar," the WindClan leader confirmed, "Should you continue to harbor that girl, you shall have war. And the blood of your clanmates will be on your hands!"

What was Eaglestar thinking? They couldn't afford a battle with leaf-bare underway. No one could. How were they supposed to fight when weakened from the lack of food? What about wounds? There couldn't possibly be enough herbs to tend to them. Eaglestar was threatening more than the lives of ThunderClanners.

And Briarsong. What if Oakstar chose to kick her out? Where would she go? It brought another imagine to Sootleaf's mind. Briarsong, her baby, struggling to survive on her own, with little mouths to feed. What Sootleaf wouldn't give to have her kit back where she belonged—safe and sound in WindClan.

Eaglestar continued snarling as Oakstar ended the Gathering. With ThunderClan gone, he saw no need for WindClan to remain on the island. The moment he called the clan away, Sootleaf did as she always did, taking it as her signal to move ahead and separate from her clanmates. Walking over the snow-covered tree-bridge at a brisk pace was a challenge, but it was something she'd done more than once. Ever since her kits were old enough to be without her for a few hours.

Off the tree-bridge, up the shore, and along the stream. It was all a route that Sootleaf knew too well, and one she travelled often. She could just barely make out the familiar, large brownish stone that marked where she should stop. There, she slowed her pace and spotted a tree with its roots raised and exposed, creating a space shielded from the snow. There, she sat down and waited.

' _He might not be able to make it,'_ she thought. But she was quick to dispel the idea. He always came without fail, every moon. He was reliable.

"Miss me, darling?"

And there he was. Hawkspeck peered at her from behind the tree's trunk before coming into full view, a smile on his face. Sootleaf gave her own smile, unable to help herself in spite of the current situation. He stood just as tall as he had at the Gathering, looking as handsome as ever, despite the stubble that she noticed on his jaw.

"Depends," Sootleaf replied, "Did you miss me?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Hawkspeck purred. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist, pulling her close. Their eyes met, and Sootleaf's breath was taken away. There it was: all the love he had for her, held within those warm, amber eyes. She hoped he saw the same love in her eyes.

A kiss was pressed to her cheek. Sootleaf found that his body was warm as always, and she was happy to take a moment with him, resting her forehead against his chest. For a long moment, they held each other. It wasn't unusual; they did it almost every time they met. But this time, it felt far more significant than it normally did. A heaviness weighed over them.

Finally, they separated, and Sootleaf took a breath before asking, "How is she? Is she sick?"

"She's fine, Soot," Hawkspeck replied, "More than fine. Briarsong's gotten comfortable in ThunderClan. She's ordering everyone around, having us strengthen the huts and stuff the nests."

"Briarsong? Giving orders?" Sootleaf asked, surprised. In all her life, she hadn't known her daughter to show authority.

Hawkspeck grinned, "Oh yeah. She has more of her mother in her than we thought."

Sootleaf raised her brows, "Is that a compliment?"

"You bet. Our little kit is a strong woman," the ThunderClan warrior said.

"All grown up," Sootleaf breathed, a sense of pride filling her to the brim. Her baby was flourishing.

Hawkspeck nodded, his own pride evident in his eyes, "All grown up."

"Coalfoot and Smokeclaw are alright," Sootleaf said, knowing that the question was coming.

"And that little lady of Smokeclaw's?" Hawkspeck ventured, looking hopeful.

Sootleaf smiled, knowing what the man wanted. She shook her head, "No kits. They insist on waiting a few more years."

The warrior gave a mock-growl, "Spoilsports."

"It's probably for the best," Sootleaf said, seriousness washing over her, "Eaglestar's getting worse every day."

Hawkspeck's smile slipped away as he caught on to the mood, "As if that's not obvious enough. It looks like the Clans are about to be at war. How likely do you think it is?"

"Honestly? It's looking unavoidable. Eaglestar doesn't seem to care anymore," Sootleaf expressed, "He wants our baby's blood, Hawkspeck."

The man hummed, turning his gaze to the thickening snow around them. He moved, sitting down against the trunk of the tree. The warrior seemed to think about her words for a moment, and then he replied, "Well, I'm not letting that happen."

"Me neither," Sootleaf replied. She'd gone through too much to keep her babies safe, and wouldn't let one of her kits be brought down by her own leader. She sat down beside Hawkspeck, and a thought occurred to her, "Have you told her yet? That you're her father?"

"No," Hawkspeck said, shaking his head, "I haven't figured out how. I've actually given her a lot of space since she arrived."

"Why?"

Hawkspeck answered, "I don't want her figuring it out before I can tell her. It probably wouldn't go over very well."

"Either way," Sootleaf said, resting her head on his shoulder, "I don't think the kits will be very happy with us. It's been nineteen years, and they don't know who sired them."

"I won't blame them. But we'll have to make it up to them. Think about it: some good fun with Mommy and Daddy," Hawkspeck said, using his hands to demonstrate a scene.

Sootleaf felt her nose wrinkle with distaste, "Please don't say that."

"Speaking of good fun…" the warrior purred, suddenly turning his attention to her. He cupped her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. It wasn't often that Sootleaf let him kiss her on the lips. Doing it always led to dirtier deeds, and she didn't want to risk having a second litter with him. Even now, there was a good chance she was still capable of getting pregnant. But just like earlier, this moment felt significant to her, and she let it happen.

Only when she felt a strong hand squeeze one of her breasts, did she pull away, smacking the ThunderClanner's hand as she caught her breath. She tried to look displeased, though she was sure she failed, "What did I tell you about that? We can't risk having more kits."

"It's not my fault," Hawkspeck said with a grin, not looking in the least bit sorry. He continued, "I'm a hot-blooded ThunderClan male. Besides, you're not in heat."

"Who's to say you won't try your luck when I am if we do it now?" Sootleaf asked rhetorically. She got to her feet, knowing that she had to leave soon if she was going to slip back into camp without notice.

Hawkspeck groaned from behind her, "I still love that backside of yours. And those breasts. StarClan, I've missed those breasts."

"Oh hush," Sootleaf replied, "They're starting to sag, anyways."

The warrior laughed as he stood and pulled her into a hug. With his fingers running through her hair, he said, "I love you, sagging breasts and all."

Sootleaf laughed, "I love you, too."

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Wow! I did not intend for this chapter to be as long as it was. Honestly, I'd meant for it to be shorter. Then I decided to do Sootleaf's POV and immediately fell in love with her.**

 **As always, please remember to review! Feedback seriously encourages me to keep writing, so if you guys want more, go ahead and comment!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **If it's not obvious yet, Hawkspeck is Briarsong's father.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	25. Twenty-Two: Uphill, Downhill

**=Ravenstrike=**

Three days had passed since he and Briarsong had reintroduced themselves to each other, swearing to try and get along.

Ravenstrike had been trying hard, catching himself whenever a remark came to his mind. Something that came to his notice, however, was that doing that was easier than it'd been in moons. But on the occasion when something sharp threatened to leave his lips, he'd clamp his mouth shut. Honestly, he felt a bit like a kit learning a new rule. In a way, he supposed he was.

"You know," Briarsong said, "When we made the agreement, I didn't mean that you had to do a complete turn-around."

Today was one of those odd, warmer days of leaf-bare, and Ravenstrike had agreed to join Briarsong on a walk outside of camp. Personally, he didn't like it very much. Though it was indeed warmer than usual, the air was still cold enough that Ravenstrike could faintly see his own breath as it came out, and the snowmelt wasn't exactly pleasant to step in. Not to mention that Oakstar himself had voiced some concern over Briarsong's current state. But his WindClan queen had all but begged to go out, and Ravenstrike was only able to take so much of it before giving in.

That was without mentioning what Darkwater had said to him before they left. With a grin, the younger warrior had said, _"Briarsong's been looking forward to this. Try and get to know her better. Trust me, she wants to."_

How Darkwater knew that, Ravenstrike was pretty sure. The two were close, and Ravenstrike took comfort in knowing that it was platonic, according to both Duskleap and the warrior himself. He dropped the thought after that, not wanting to dig into why he felt that comfort.

"What's that mean?" Ravenstrike inquired. He took a step, and a small mouse scurried from under a clump of nearby bracken. He watched it disappear over a large root. Had he been hunting, he probably would have gone after it.

Briarsong had stopped walking, one hand on her belly as she spoke to him, "I mean, if you have something to say, it's okay. Like right now. I can see it _all_ over your face."

"You sound like Copperwind," Ravenstrike commented.

"Is that a compliment?"

"Depends on how you see it."

"I'll take it as one," the queen said, an odd look in her eyes. It took a moment for Ravenstrike to recognize it as playfulness. Again, he thought of how strangely easy this was— being relaxed around her.

They started walking again as Briarsong continued, "I mean it though. You don't really like being out here, do you?"

"No," Ravenstrike admitted, feeling some tension leave him, "I hate leaf-bare. Too cold, too wet. I don't know how RiverClan and ShadowClan deal with it."

"Me neither. But I imagine they get used to it. WindClan did," Briarsong said, trailing her fingers along bark as she passed a maple tree. Ravenstrike didn't know if she noticed some of it falling away after her touch.

He followed close behind her, grumbling, "So you all have bees on your brains."

Briarsong turned her head to give him a look, and Ravenstrike thought for a moment that he'd gone too far. However, the queen went back to waddling, "Or maybe we're just sturdy. Like this oak."

Emphasizing this, Briarsong gave the tree a pat. She then promptly slipped.

The yelp she let out was enough to set Ravenstrike into motion. He shot forward, catching the queen by her underarms before she could meet the ground. He hadn't even thought about it, but now found himself lifting her up and forcing her to turn. His eyes scanned over her.

No bruises, no scratches, no injury whatsoever. A glance at the ground let him see where Briarong's foot had slid in a pile of slush. A mixture of relief and annoyance came to him, and he was just about ready to simply take the queen into his arms and carry her back to camp. Back to the stone hollow, where Briarsong might feel confined, but also where she'd be safe. He only considered this for a heartbeat, and quickly decided that the arguments it might lead to weren't something he wanted.

Instead, he released her after a moment and retorted, "About as sturdy as a one-legged badger."

"Call me Midnight," Briarsong quipped, referring to the badger spoken of in nursery stories. In that moment, she was the apprentice he'd met nearly five years ago. The response was surprising enough that Ravenstrike was unable to stop the short laugh that left him.

When he stopped, Ravenstrike noticed that the queen was staring at him, green eyes wide. A sudden feeling of self-consciousness came over him, and he asked a little too harshly, "What?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before," the freckled queen said. She smiled, " _Really_ laugh. It's nice."

Briarsong turned around and continued walking, careful of the snowmelt around them. Ravenstrike watched her, unsure of how to feel. His cheeks felt warm, and he was sure he was blushing. He was going to blame that on the cold.

"Ravenstrike! Come look at this!"

When he reached the queen, Ravenstrike saw that she was marveling at a tree. Or rather, the collection of large roots that had grown oddly, raised high above the ground before dipping down towards the ends, into the soil below. The roots, along with a majority of the tree itself, were covered in moss and snow. The canopy that it created, however, protected the ground from becoming soaked or snowed on.

"Have you seen this tree before?" Briarsong asked. The queen carefully stepped over a small log and moved under the roots.

Of course he did. Being part of ThunderClan meant memorizing every inch of the forest, and landmarks like this were important, being the one of the first things apprentices learned about. The tree was no Sky Oak, but it was still well-known.

"Yeah," Ravenstrike said, moving to join her, "We just call it the Raised Root. We used to do climbing training here. Then the moss took over."

Briarsong sat down, leaning against the tree with a hand on her belly. She got a strange look in her eyes, this being one that Ravenstrike couldn't identify. She then whispered something that he didn't catch.

"What was that?" Ravenstrike asked, deciding it was alright to sit down beside her.

As he met the ground, Briarsong said, "It seems so familiar. I don't know why though. There weren't trees like this in WindClan."

Ravenstrike wasn't sure how to respond to that, and settled on silence. Fortunately, the queen seemed eager to change the topic, and she asked him, "You said that training used to happen here. Was it still going on when you were an apprentice?"

"No," Ravenstrike replied. He'd only been told about the tree during his first walk of the territory when he was ten. He didn't like thinking about those days too much.

"Your parents then," Briarsong surmised.

His chest ached, "Yeah."

He was hoping she would drop the topic—change it again. But he had no luck. Instead, Briarsong got straight to what Ravenstrike suspected she'd wanted to talk about all along.

"Ravenwing meant a lot to your family, didn't he? Were you close?"

"Yeah," Ravenstrike said quietly. One-word responses were probably the best option at this point.

Briarsong continued, "Berryspring said it affected you a lot. His passing. I think I can kind of see that."

"Why are you talking about this?" Ravenstrike growled. He didn't like where this was going, and he didn't like the memories Briarsong was forcing him to recall.

"Relax," Briarsong said in a gentle tone, "I'm not trying to pry. I just thought it'd be nice to get to know each other a little more."

Alright, well it seems like you know plenty about me already," Ravenstrike concluded. That meant she probably knew about Dewflower, and yet she gave no indication of being bothered by that knowledge. Somehow, that was comforting. He ventured, "What about you?"

From there, Ravenstrike learned a lot about her. Briarsong had two brothers, Coalfoot and Smokeclaw. Coalfoot had been the black-haired man with her when she left WindClan. When they were thirteen, Smokeclaw coated her hair in honey. He knew about her mother well enough, with Sootleaf being known for an icy personality. But Briarsong swore on Sootleaf being a loving mother, though it was hard for him to imagine.

She had three close friends. Swiftfall was her brother's partner, and was scared of bumblebees. Flowerdusk had always been beautiful, and Briarsong wondered if her kits were just as lovely. Then there was Addertail, who she described as too sweet for his own good. Ravenstrike felt a spike of animosity when the man was mentioned. Addertail was the reason he didn't have kits.

Ravenstrike took a breath, choosing to push the thoughts away. Instead, he focused on the story Briarsong was telling about her former mentor, Lionclaw. She'd obviously decided that she liked talking.

And Ravenstrike decided he liked listening.

* * *

Coming back to camp, Ravenstrike was in a good mood, and he could tell that Briarsong felt the same.

"It's sunhigh," he observed, "Do you want something to eat?"

Briarsong smiled, "Something feathered, I'm getting tired of mouse and squirrel."

He nodded, and allowed the queen to make her way back to the nursery before heading off to get food. Foxtail and Scarletfeather were already going through what was available, and there wasn't much. There was a single robin among two thin squirrels and a shrew, but Scarletfeather grabbed it before he could.

"For Maplewhisker," the dark-haired woman explained, apparently sensing Ravenstrike's displeasure.

But he didn't argue, nor did he try to stop her as she walked away. An elder was just as entitled to a meal as a queen, and Maplewhisker was one of the sickest of his clanmates. What confused him was when Scarletfeather didn't go towards the elders hut. Instead, she hurried into the medicine hut.

When Foxtail caught his questioning look, he informed, "Cedarnose doesn't want Maplewhisker to get Adderstorm sick. Had to move her."

"It's that bad?" Ravenstrike questioned, deciding that Briarsong would have to settle on squirrel again.

"Yeah," Foxtail said, "You should see Ravenkit. The poor girl can barely move."

Ravenstrike frowned, "Has Leopardtail been around?"

"Don't know. He doesn't talk about it very much," the red-haired warrior said. He shrugged, "Everyone has their ways of coping, I guess."

With that, Foxtail grabbed the second squirrel and made his way towards the warriors hut. Ravenstrike watched him go before sighing and starting for the nursery.

He hated leaf-bare.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Here we are with chapter 22! Please remember to review, because feedback fuels my will to write! With that said, I'd like to thank Guest for giving this story its 100** **th** **review!**

 **Now, if you go to my profile, you will see that I've set a new poll up. This one is in regards as to what will happen after** _ **"Origin"**_ **finishes (since there's only ten or so chapters left). I want as many opinions as possible, so please vote!**

 **Also, for those who don't know, a new story has been started as a replacement for** _ **"Path"**_ **. This story is still partially in planning, but you can submit OCs for it in** _ **"OCs Needed for Downpour"**_ **!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Ravenstrike is not entirely over Dewflower.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	26. Twenty-Three: Thunder

**~Briarsong~**

A scream tore through the nursery, shattering the quiet of night.

Whatever dream Briarsong had been having was forgotten as the scream plunged a spike of terror into her, forcing her awake. She bolted upright, her eyes wide and frightened. Unconsciously, her arms wrapped around her swollen belly, as instinct told her to protect her unborn kits.

She wasn't the only one woken up. Fennelfur shot to her feet with a growl, her blue eyes searching the hut for any cause of danger. The kits started to whimper, not knowing what the sound meant.

Slowly, Briarsong realized that the scream had come from just beside her, and the sound of sobs followed it. Warily, her gaze met Bloodheart's weeping form. The pale queen was bent over a smaller body. And all of the sudden, Briarsong understood what was happening.

Ravenkit was limp in her mother's arms. Her chest, neck, and face were covered in vomit. Some of the fluid got into Bloodheart's hair, but she couldn't seem to care less.

"My baby," the grieving mother sobbed. She kept rocking back and forth with Ravenkit in her arms, "My sweet little baby."

Fennelfur seemed to snap out of her protective haze, "Oh, Bloodheart…"

Briarsong quickly decided that she couldn't stay in the nursery. The scene was too horrible for her to bear. Her kits seemed to respond to her horror, moving and kicking inside her. She stood, legs shaking, and said, "I…I'll get Cedarnose."

"Make sure he brings lavender," was all Fennelfur said as she moved to comfort their fellow queen.

Outside, into the cold air, Briarsong only managed to take a few steps before she felt her stomach tighten. She heaved once, and vomited. Her hand met the stone wall of the camp, using it for support as her stomach's contents left her and met the ground. There wasn't much, and as the last of it came up, she felt a hand on her back.

"Alright, get it out," the voice was Ravenstrike's. She wasn't surprised that he was there. With the volume of Bloodheart's scream, she didn't know how anyone could sleep through it.

Briarsong finished, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth. She shuddered and looked away from the puddle at her feet, facing the warrior beside her. The concern on Ravenstrike's face was clear, and Briarsong felt a need to soothe him. But that would have to wait.

"We need Cedarnose," she croaked, cringing at the taste in her mouth, "Fast."

With that, she started for the medicine hut once more. If Ravenstrike wanted to ask any questions, he kept them to himself, instead trailing behind her silently. The moment she reached the hut, Applepaw poked his head out. The boy's eyes met hers, and they widened as if he immediately understood what was wrong.

"It's Ravenkit, isn't it?" he asked. He was on edge, almost afraid of what Briarsong would say. Her heart clenched as she nodded in confirmation.

She'd never forget the tears that started rolling down Applepaw's face.

* * *

The sun was rising.

Briarsong looked up, seeing that her starry ancestors had vanished, leaving behind a pale-blue sky tinted orange by the sun's light. She prayed that Ravenkit had made it to StarClan safely, and that someone up there was caring for her.

While Ravenkit's spirit had joined the Stars, her body remained in ThunderClan, lying in the center of camp. Cedarnose had been quick to clean the kit up; washing her face and placing what little bit of lavender he had in her hair. When he was finished, Briarsong almost believed that Ravenkit was simply sleeping. And for the first time, she realized what the sickness had done to her.

The kit was tiny, even for a six-year-old. Fennelfur had mentioned her inability to keep food down, and it showed in how bony she was. The space between her cheekbones and jaw was clear to see. The sense of sorrow that Briarsong felt was only emphasized when Cedarnose concluded her cause of death. At some point in the night, Ravenkit had vomited, and had been too weak to lift or turn her head after doing so.

She'd drowned.

Bloodheart was forced to sniff a lot of lavender after that. She wouldn't stop crying, with only the occasional cough breaking through, sobbing that it was her fault. That she should have woken up to the sound of her kit getting sick. But what Fennelfur told her was still running through Briarsong's mind.

" _You're ill and exhausted. It's not your fault you didn't wake up."_

That was true. Bloodheart was sick, so it made sense that she hadn't woken up. Fennelfur had been worn-out lately, too. Long hours watching over little Rosekit were responsible for that. But what excuse did Briarsong have? She was perfectly healthy and well-rested. And yet, she hadn't woken when Ravenkit needed someone to save her.

A sharp pain snapped her out of her thoughts. Wincing, Briarsong looked down to see that her finger had met a thorn in the nest she was working on. She'd thought she'd picked them all out.

 _Great,_ she thought, _Now I'm leaving thorns in nests._

"What is it?" Ravenstrike asked. The man had walked over, a bowl of food in his hand.

Darkwater, who sat beside Briarsong, replied, "Looks like a thorn."

Briarsong herself didn't say anything, instead digging the thorn out from a jungle of moss and feathers, dropping it in a pile between herself and Darkwater.

"That's Leopardtail's nest, right?" Ravenstrike inquired, coming to sit on Briarsong's other side. When he received the affirmative, he growled, "Put it back."

Briarsong turned in confusion, "What? Why?"

Leopardtail was Bloodheart's mate, and was therefore enduring the same amount of loss as the queen. Yet Ravenstrike wanted her to leave a thorn in the bedding of the mourning father? The thought stirred something inside her, and she was just about ready to snap when the warrior continued.

"He didn't join the vigil," he said, the displeasure all too clear in his eyes.

Briarsong stared, blinking in shock. Vaguely, she was aware of Darkwater pausing. Leopardtail wasn't the most attentive father, she was certain that everyone knew that. The blonde man made rare visits to the nursery in the past, and had always seemed uncomfortable around his children. But she doubted Leopardtail didn't care for them.

Said vigil was ending now, and Briarsong could see Adderstorm lifting the tiny girl up, preparing to take her to be buried. Bloodheart was close behind, accompanied by Wolfkit and a few warriors who were close friends of the queen. But no Leopardtail.

Darkwater got words out before she could, "I'm pretty sure he and Bloodheart separated not too long ago. Wolfsong mentioned it."

"That's fine," Ravenstrike growled, "But Ravenkit was his daughter. He should have participated."

"Where is he now?" Briarsong asked. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen the short man at all since sundown yesterday.

"Hunting," the warrior replied.

Darkwater sighed, turning back to work on Violetclaw's nest, "That might just be his way of dealing with it. But you're right, Ravenstrike. He should have stayed for the vigil."

Ravenstrike only grunted, and Briarsong supposed that he accepted that answer, because he was holding the bowl out to her a moment later. She considered accepting for a moment. But the image of Ravenkit's emaciated form entered her mind, and she blanched.

"I'm good," she declined. Though her stomach was empty, it didn't feel right to eat when Ravenkit would never do so again.

Ravenstrike frowned, "Your night-meal is lying in a puddle by the nursery. That means your body hasn't gotten anything in hours, and neither have the kits. If not for yourself, eat for them."

He tore away a piece of meat, holding it her lips. Briarsong stared at the food, still surprised by what he'd said. Though she knew it was him trying to get her to eat, it was the first time Ravenstrike had spoken out of concern for their kits. It was a momentary distraction from the emotional gloom she felt.

"Open up, it's not that hard," Ravenstrike said impatiently, pressing the meat to her lips.

Briarsong did just that, allowing the warrior to pop the food into her mouth. Chewing, she realized it was a bird. Likely robin or finch. Pleased, she said, "You got a bird this time."

"I know what you like," was Ravenstrike's reply.

"Ooookay," piped up Darkwater, who Briarsong had forgotten was there. The dark-haired warrior stood, "While you two get all romantic and feeding each other, I'm gonna go join the border patrol."

Briarsong turned to him, "You need to finish the nest."

"Just did. I'll be back to start on Bumbleheart's," Darkwater replied, already walking away.

When he was gone, Briarsong turned back to see Ravenstrike holding up another strip of meat. She reflected on what Darkwater had said and told him, "I can feed myself, you know."

"You're already using your hands," Ravenstrike retorted, gesturing to the nest.

Unimpressed but not minding the situation enough to argue further, Briarsong opened her mouth. They stayed like that for a while, Briarsong tugging and tucking materials into place in the nest, trying her hardest not to think about poor little Ravenkit, accepting bites of food as she did so.

Over, under, tuck in some moss; pull it tight, take a bite, do it again.

Eventually, the bird ran out, and Briarsong poured all her attention into her work. Ravenstrike got up and left at some point, though she heard him say something about Hazelpaw. She wasn't sure how much time passed, but her focus was snapped when she felt someone shaking her by the shoulder. Looking up, she saw that Ravenstrike had come back.

"Oakstar's called a clan meeting," he explained.

"Oh," Briarsong replied. She allowed the warrior to help her up, and they made their way to the center of camp, joining the rest of ThunderClan. There was no evidence of Ravenkit's body having been there.

Looking up, she saw the leader standing on the Highledge. Oakstar looked tired, and Briarsong found herself wondering what kind of stress he was enduring with his clan stricken by illness. Despite his worn-down appearance, Oakstar's voice was just as strong as ever.

"My clan, it is after long thought and talking with Cedarnose that I have made a decision. In order to avoid more cases of illness, the sick must be moved into one hut. And it is by my choice that that hut is mine," the leader announced.

Oakstar's words were met with some murmuring, though Briarsong could tell that there was little to no opposition. However, some were surprised by the fact that he was giving up his own hut.

"Is it really that surprising?" she heard Ravenstrike grumble.

Then, Fennelfur spoke up. The queen had been quiet since the discovery of Ravenkit's death, and she now stood with Copperwind at her side. Briarsong's ears perked as she asked, "What about Rosekit? She's getting better. You can't mean to stick her with a bunch of sick cats."

"We discussed that," Oakstar reassured, "She'll be staying in the medicine hut. The same goes for all of those who are recovering."

That seemed to put both parents at ease, and Briarsong turned to Ravenstrike, "Has Copperwind said anything about Rosekit?"

"Like Fennelfur said, she's getting better," Ravenstrike replied, "Still feverish, but she's stopped crying all night."

"That's good," Briarsong breathed, feeling a sense of relief. With luck, Ravenkit would be the only kit who'd die this leaf-bare.

The meeting ended shortly after, and the clan set to moving the ill. Briarsong watched from where she'd gone back to working. Blackmoon, Dawnpaw, Maplewhisker, Rabbitfoot, Owlflight, Bloodheart, and Rosekit. Seven ill patients that would be tended to by Cedarnose and Applepaw inside Oakstar's hut. She noticed shortly after that Oakstar was moving into the warriors hut for the time being.

 _He's a good leader_ , Briarsong decided. She owed him just as much as she did Hawkspeck for allowing her to stay in ThunderClan. After her kits were born and she was able to leave them alone for periods of time, she would start repaying her debt. Hunting, building, patrolling—anything that was needed.

Her heart ached at the thought of going back to her warrior duties. She'd only gotten to enjoy her time as a full warrior for two years before getting pregnant. Memories of running through WindClan's vast territory came to her mind. She wasn't sure how easy it'd be to sprint through ThunderClan's forests, which were littered with stones, fallen branches, and plenty of brambles and thorns. Still, she was going to try as soon as she could.

"Briarsong!"

She jumped, shocked out of her fantasizing to see Bloodheart coming towards her. The small woman was leading Wolfkit by the hand.

"Briarsong," the queen said. Her eyes were red from crying, "I can't let Wolfkit get sick. It was me who Ravenkit caught it from. I need you to look after him until I get better. I'm sorry to do this, especially with the other kits and all."

Briarsong quirked her brow, not knowing what Bloodheart was talking about, "The other kits?"

"Yes. Fennelfur is going to stay in the medicine hut with Rosekit," Bloodheart explained.

It took a moment for Briarsong to realize what that meant. Fennelfur and Bloodheart were going to be away, unable to look after their kits. So it was Briarsong who would be in charge of seven kits.

Oh.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: Let us have a moment of silence for poor, little Ravenkit. I'm sure a lot of you noticed that she was progressively getting sicker, and this is what it's all led to. However, her death is playing a very important role, and will shape the rest of the story.**

 **As always, guys, please remember to review! Feedback means a lot to me! Also, please take time to vote on the poll on my profile. Those votes will help me decide what to do once** _ **Origin**_ **has finished. You can make up to three choices!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Oakstar is actually Hawkspeck's cousin. (I don't think I ever mentioned this)**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


	27. Twenty-Four: The Hunt

**Warning: Blood.**

 **=Ravenstrike=**

Ravenstrike was moving slowly, trudging through the snow at a gradual pace. The previous night had brought a snowstorm, and the freezing stuff came halfway up his calves. He didn't like it at all, but ThunderClan had to be fed, and that meant hunting patrols had to be sent out.

With the death of Maplewhisker last night, everyone needed something to take their minds off the sickness that had already taken two clanmates in less than a quarter-moon.

But in the half-hour that he and his clanmates had been hunting, they'd only managed to come up with a single crow that'd been too old to avoid Shortfoot. Ravenstrike frowned as he recalled the bird that was hopefully hidden from any hungry foxes. It'd likely be frozen to some extent when they came to collect it. Still, it'd be better than nothing.

"I'm starting to think there's nothing out here," Hazelpaw said. His apprentice was trailing slightly behind him, the snow reaching just past her knees.

Irritated, Ravenstrike turned to her and said in a low tone, "Quiet. You'll scare anything that's nearby."

"Can't scare what's not there," the girl murmured.

"For the sake of both of us, I'm going to act like I didn't hear that."

Fortunately, Hazelpaw seemed to get the message, and the two were surrounded by silence as she remained quiet. The two of them had separated from the rest of the patrol, a common strategy to cover more ground and, hopefully, catch more prey. Ravenstrike hoped Silvershimmer and Shortfoot were having better luck.

A gust of wind blew through the trees, and Ravenstrike was grateful for the fox fur covering his shoulders and chest. Still, the cold bit at his face, making his already-numb ears and nose burn. Although Hazelpaw was no longer talking, Ravenstrike could hear the girl's teeth chattering. In his mind, he begged StarClan to bring them something to catch, even if it were something as small as a mouse. He'd even go down to the lake and catch a fish if he had to. Anything that would feed his clan.

Most importantly, anything that would feed Briarsong.

For the last four days, the queen had been caring for all of the clan's kits, excluding Rosekit. She was nursing two kits, carrying her own, and trying to keep the five others in check. To say the least, Briarsong was exhausted, and Ravenstrike was doing everything possible to lessen the toll she was taking. And right now, she needed a good meal.

Then he heard a snap.

Ravenstrike stilled. When Hazelpaw started to ask a question, he slapped his hand over her mouth. His ears were perked and listening. There was another snap, and Ravenstrike could tell that the sound was coming from just ahead. He turned to Hazelpaw, holding a finger over his lips. If there was prey nearby, he didn't want the girl's inexperience to ruin a possible catch. And if it was something dangerous, he didn't want her to draw any attention to them.

Hazelpaw stared at him, her eyes wide. He could see the questions spinning through her head, but they would have to wait until later. He turned back around, taking a slow step forward. Ravenstrike continued until he saw the source of the snapping.

A deer— a buck— stood there. The animal was fortunately distracted; too busy stripping the bark from a tree, causing a 'snap' when it managed to tear away a piece. Ravenstrike was grateful for the trees that blocked himself and Hazelpaw from its line of sight, and the fact that the buck was likely young. There was no way a full-grown deer would be stupid enough to lower its guard so much.

This was just what the clan—what Briarsong—needed. Though the buck was young, it was still big enough that it'd likely feed everyone. Now, it was just a matter of catching and killing the creature.

Ravenstrike glanced back at Hazelpaw, and saw the girl's eyes shining. She'd seen the buck, too. That was good. It meant she'd stay quiet, with luck.

He knelt down and whispered, "Listen, we have one shot at this. So we have to get it right. I need you to get as close to it as possible. Remember what I said; use the snow to your advantage."

"What about you?" Hazelpaw asked just as quietly. She was practically brimming with excitement, though Ravenstrike could detect some fear as well.

"I'm going around front," he replied, "When I give the signal, you startle it from behind. Got it?"

Hazelpaw nodded, and Ravenstrike set the plan into motion. He moved away, carefully walking back several fox-lengths before making his way around the area. Hazelpaw had moved as well, and he could just make out her ginger tail as she slipped behind the wide trunk of an oak tree.

The wind was still blowing, but in the direction that blew the buck's scent to Ravenstrike, rather than the opposite. He thanked StarClan, knowing that the animal would very likely run as soon as it caught the scent of a predator. And if it still somehow noticed him or Hazelpaw…well fuck, he would have to chase it down.

He made it around, being sure to stay close to the trees. Someone like Bumbleheart or Snowflower might be able to blend in with the snow fairly well, but his dark coloring was better suited for greenleaf's thick foliage. Now able to see its head, Ravenstrike felt comforted by the lack of antlers on the buck's head. It must have dropped them recently, which made a hell of a difference when it came to hunting deer. He'd seen the consequences of getting caught by a set of antlers first-hand, and he didn't care to get gored.

His eyes scanned the area. No sign of Hazelpaw. For a moment, Ravenstrike grew irritated, wondering if she'd gone too far. The plan wouldn't work if she had to run at the animal. The annoyance faded once a flash of ginger caught his eye. Hazelpaw was closer to the deer than he'd thought; a mere fox-length away from the tree it was focused on. He took his stone-carved blade into his hand. A moment later, she poked her head out, and they made eye-contact. Without hesitation, Ravenstrike flicked his tail.

What happened next took only a minute or so to happen, but to Ravenstrike, it seemed much slower.

His apprentice recognized the signal, and leapt out from behind the trunk. The buck, startled, jumped and began to run forward in an attempt to get away. Ravenstrike prepared to trip it when it came close, the steps of catching it by the neck and slicing across its throat with the blade passing through his head.

But the buck only got a few bounds away from Hazelpaw, before seeming to switch from _flight_ to _fight_. Ravenstrike knew what was happening the moment it paused for just a heartbeat. The memory of Mintfeather, an old warrior, flashed into his mind. The woman lost her life when a deer chose to attack instead of run. And as the buck started to turn, Ravenstrike bolted out from behind his tree, muttering "fuck" repetitively under his breath.

StarClan could kiss his ass if they thought they were getting his apprentice.

Ravenstrike moved fast, forgetting about the snow that tried to slow him down with its density. The buck had made it back to Hazelpaw, rising up on its hind-legs with intent. But before its hooves could meet her head, Ravenstrike slammed into its backside. The creature lost its balance, lurching forward, and Ravenstrike heard Hazelpaw's scream as the deer fell into the snow chest-first. As for himself, Ravenstrike felt the air leave his lungs from the force of meeting the buck.

But the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, and Ravenstrike didn't think before stabbing the animal in its thigh, earning a high-pitched cry that echoed in the otherwise silent forest. Years of hunting had made his move instinctive, and Ravenstrike was almost certain he'd cut into a crucial spot. It wouldn't keep the creature down, but it'd sure as hell hinder its movements until the blood-loss got to it.

His eyes trailed downward for a moment, and he was relieved to see that the deer hadn't landed on Hazelpaw. Its weight would have almost certainly crushed her.

The girl was perfectly safe, just a rabbit's foot away, though clearly shaken. But Ravenstrike's attention was quickly returned to the buck as it apparently got over its shock, trying to stand up. It started to kick beneath him, and it could easily knock him over once it gathered its strength.

"Oh, no you don't, motherfucker," Ravenstrike growled, pulling the blade from its leg and lunging for its neck. He barely noticed the sharp pain in his abdomen.

The buck cried again as his arm wrapped around its neck. Its forelegs pushed up, and it started to stand. With all its movement, Ravenstrike lost his grip on the knife, and he felt it fall out of his hand, landing somewhere in the snow.

"Hazelpaw, the knife," he ordered, tightening his hold on the buck's throat, "Grab it!"

To the girl's credit, she seemed to have learned from the dog incident, and was quick to snap out of her frozen state. Hazelpaw pounced forward, and Ravenstrike did his best to control the deer so that it didn't trample her, using his free hand to force its jaw upward. After a moment of what he assumed was scrambling in the snow, Hazelpaw shot up, holding the knife out to him.

But Ravenstrike's hands were full, and he doubted that taking one hand off the animal would be beneficial. He snapped, "Slice its throat!"

"Me?" Hazelpaw asked incredulously. Her eyes were wide enough to challenge the full moon.

"No, Thunderstar," Ravenstrike growled sarcastically, "Yes, you! Do it now while I've got control of the bastard, and make sure it's deep!"

What in StarClan's name was he thinking? Hazelpaw had only practiced slitting the throats of prey twice, both times being with much smaller creatures. There was a good possibility that she lacked the strength to bring the blade deep enough into the thick neck of the buck.

All doubts faded when Ravenstrike felt the warmth of blood running down his arm. If the buck tried to squeal again, it couldn't. He looked down, and saw that Hazelpaw had simply driven the knife into its neck and yanked it back out. That wasn't what he'd said to do, but it had obviously done the job. With that done, Ravenstrike released the buck, allowing it to stumble and fall. It was still alive, though it would only live for a few more minutes at most.

But the Clans weren't cruel when it came to hunting, and Ravenstrike gave the buck some mercy. He leaned over, taking the blade from Hazelpaw and plunging it into the deer's head. It took a good amount of force, but the animal died almost immediately. With that, Ravenstrike took back the knife and sheathed it.

The blood on his arm had already gone cold, and was overall unpleasant as it cooled. He'd have a hell of a time cleaning it from his skin and the hair that resided there. Much of the snow around them was splattered with the stuff as well. He glanced at Hazelpaw, and saw that she had a fair amount of blood on her hands and arms, and a bit on the stoat fur that covered her chest.

"You good?" Ravenstrike asked after a moment, catching his breath. The girl was shaking.

Hazelpaw nodded, "Yeah…this is the biggest thing I've killed."

"Damn right, it is," Ravenstrike's ear twitched in acknowledgement. Without a doubt, this was a big moment for his apprentice. After a heartbeat of thought, he added, "You did good, kid."

Hazelpaw glowed with pride.

Both of them shot to attention when they heard the sound of rapid footfalls drawing nearer. Silvershimmer and Shortfoot appeared from beyond the trees, with the former carrying a freshly-caught bat. The women's eyes bulged as they took in the sight of the deer.

Silvershimmer got the same smile as her brother, Darkwater, "Well, it looks like you two haven't had much trouble."

"Yeah," Shortfoot breathed, her reddish-brown tail curling happily.

"You weren't here," Ravenstrike replied, facing them fully, "He put up one hell of a fight."

"Obviously," Silvershimmer said, her eyes focused downward, "That's a nasty cut."

Ravenstrike's brow furrowed in confusion. Then he noticed the dull ache in his lower abdomen. Looking down, he saw a shallow yet long gash just below his navel. It wasn't at all life-threatening by the looks of it, but it was going to leave a scar.

"The bastard wanted to leave a reminder," he concluded with a frown.

Hazelpaw observed it, "At least yours isn't on your hand."

"What?"

"Look."

She held up her right hand, displaying a cut that began between her middle and ring finger, trailing down her palm and ending just before her wrist. Hazelpaw explained, "I think the knife slipped and this happened."

"Great. Now I get to explain that to Copperwind and Fennelfur," Ravenstrike grumbled. He then turned his attention back to the deer, "But I think this damn-well makes up for it."

"It's your first scar," Shortfoot said to Hazelpaw, "Hawkspeck says it's part of becoming a warrior."

Ravenstrike definitely recalled the man saying that once or twice. While Hazelpaw kept her prideful grin, the group set to tying the buck's legs together, preparing it for travel.

The trek back to the hollow took a while, considering the deer's weight, and Ravenstrike found himself grateful for the snow for once. In normal conditions, things like dirt and leaves would make their way into the wounds of a heavy kill, making clean-up a bitch. But though the snow made things slower than he would have liked, it cleaned away a lot of the blood, even slowing the crimson flow. Still, that didn't stop Ravenstrike from muttering curses as he trudged along, hissing as movement caused his wound to throb with pain.

When they finally reached the camp, Ravenstrike was about ready to leave the kill to his clanmates and get something to ease the ache that he felt. But before he could start for the medicine hut, Copperwind rushed up to him.

"Ravenstrike," he said. Immediately, Ravenstrike's eyes narrowed. The tone in his brother's voice suggested that he wanted him to keep calm. So whatever the deal was, it wasn't good. His mind immediately went to Briarsong.

He cut his brother off, "What is it? Did Briarsong start kitting? Is she sick?"

"No," Copperwind informed, "It's not Briarsong. She's perfectly fine. It's just that there's someone here who you may not particularly want to see."

Ravenstrike's momentary relief left him when his littermate said that. What did that even mean? Copperwind could be referring to one of many people who he didn't care for at all. But what he did know was that he wanted to know what was going on immediately.

"Stop the beating around the bush bullshit," Ravenstrike growled, "Get to the point."

But Copperwind didn't have to say anything else. Instead, Ravenstrike's ears caught the cadence of an all-too-familiar voice. His head snapped to the left as he located the source, and he had to blink several times before his brain could comprehend what he was seeing.

There, chatting up Bumbleheart and Dovetail, was Dewflower.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **A/N: There you have it, ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between. Chapter 24 has arrived. Hopefully you didn't find it too boring…**

 **Please remember to review, guys. As I've previously stated, feedback is a gigantic motivator when it comes to writing, so do try and comment! Additionally, the poll is still up on my profile, though I've added a fifth choice. So if you'd like to help me decide what to do after** _ **Origin**_ **is done, please go vote!**

 **Fun-Fact:** **Mintfeather, a warrior mentioned within this story, will appear in** _ **Intertwined**_ **.**

 **Later, my lovelies~!**

 **\- Tina**


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